Headline Scream Mumbai's Decline

Discrepancies dog SRA scam probe
By: J Dey
April 10, 2007
Several discrepancies have emerged in the investigations into the alleged Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scam.

In a letter to the high court, the government pleader clarified that Pradnya Sarvade, additional commissioner of police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, was not investigating the 89 cases relating to the SRA scam as mentioned in the records.

Earlier, the high court was given the impression that a team led by Sarvade was already investigating the cases.

Strangely, even before the ACB could begin probing, Director General (ACB) J D Virkar — in his proposal dated March 20 to Director General of Police Dr P S Pasricha — sought immediate sanction of manpower and infrastructure to investigate the scam.

Sarvade had earlier told MiD DAY that she had sought additional manpower and equipment to investigate the SRA scam.

‘‘This assumption was incorrect as much of the records before the court itself reveals that the investigations have not been begun by any officer of the ACB, leave alone Sarvade.

This was the grievance of the petitioner on March 29, 2007, when he appeared before the Hon’ble court,” says the letter.

The three-page letter also pointed out that the court has noted the Advocate-General’s submission to “let the process begin”.

The process, though, is yet to begin. It could begin only by a preliminary sifting of the various complaints received. It also has to be decided which department — the police or ACB — should investigate the case.

The discrepancies have come at a time when questions are being raised whether some influential builders are behind the SRA scam.

Sustained delays in slum projects could benefit developers who own open plots and charge high prices for their flats.

Slum redevelopment projects are self-financed schemes where the government is not required to spend any money on development of slums across the city.

Various slum pockets in Mumbai have put up their proposals to the SRA to permit them to re-develop the hutments.


State govt is in the dumps
By: Shashank Rao
March 9, 2007
Feeling powerless when it comes to evacuating and rehabilitating slum dwellers residing within the Santacruz airport premises, the state government which is presently undertaking surveys to determine the total number of dwellers in the area, is facing obstruction from them.

According to DK Shankaran, Chief Secretary, Maharashtra government,
“We feel helpless as we don’t know how to evacuate the illegal occupants, who have been there for nearly a decade.”

The government fears that using manpower to forcefully remove these illegal slum dwellers can result in law and order problems.

The government has tried deploying policemen to protect survey officials while they survey residents on the encroached airport premises. The surveyors didn’t manage to get much information, but were beaten up and forced to leave the area.

These surveys have been underway, for nearly a year. Roughly 80,000 families reside in these slums.

The airport needs this massive 272-acre land for its expansion to accommodate an extra hangar space for aircraft.

Security is a major concern as this slum gives easy access to trespassers. Post-privatisation, Mumbai airport has been at the hands of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), who have mapped a plan to further develop its premises.

Says an MIAL official, “The government has to remove these slum dwellers if they want us to develop the airport keeping in mind international standards.

Lepers' Colony is hooch den'

By: KP Babu
January 1, 2005
Sources in the police and state excise department say that the Lepers’ Colony, along the railway tracks in Mulund (E), could be an important link in the network that supplies country liquor across the city.

They say that the fact that Lepers’ Colony is close to Thane border and is also close to the railway lines is a big advantage.

“The tubes filled with liquor are stored in Lepers’ Colony from where the liquor is distributed to various parts of the city.

Even the women and children of the colony are put on the job,” says an official, adding, “The women carry the tubes in auto-rickshaws and taxis to the destinations. The police rarely expect women to smuggle liquor.”

Another official says that the liquor racket in Lepers’ Colony escapes police action because the colony is the last place cops would want to raid.
“Lepers’ Colony is the best palce to store liquor tubes because the police won’t raid that place. The policemen are afraid the lepers might hug them during the raid,” says the official.

Sources say that officials from police, railways and excise departments are also involved in this network.

“The senior officials from the home ministry have taken interest in the matter. Investigations are on to find out about the officials involved in the network. Many heads are likely to roll,” says an official from excise department.

On the other hand, even as Dilip Bhujbal, DCP zone VII, has been transferred following the Vikhroli liquor tragedy, LK Kharpade, senior inspector from Navghar police, says he is not aware of the Lepers’ Colony angle.

“I have not heard about the Lepers’ Colony being used as a transit point for peddling country liquor. The area is under my police station’s jurisdiction. I will look into the matter,” says Kharpade.

Meanwhile, the former DCP Bhujbal is yet to be assigned any new post and the new DCP for the zone is likely to take charge in a couple of days.

babu@mid-day.com

Two liquor selling joints in every slum in Mulund

According to sources, government officials have received startling information about the hooch business in Mulund.

“At least 100 illegal liquor joints were functional in Mulund before the Vikhroli tragedy. And around 40 of them functioned from the slums and usually there were about two liquor selling joints in every slum. However, most of them shut down after the Vikhroli tragedy," says a police official.

On Dec 28, officials from state excise department raided Hanuman Pada slums in Mulund Colony and arrested two women — Sindhu Roham (57) and Alkabhai Natu (47) — for illegally possessing country liquor. Also, 49 litres of liquor worth Rs 1,265 was seized from the women.




THE ABOVE STATES CLEARLY THE SLOW AND STEADY DECLINE OF THE CITY... AS THE WORLD GETS READY TO MOVE FORWARD, INDIA AND HER CITIZENS, CHOOSE TO KEEP MOVING BACK-WARDS!!! THIS COUNTRY NEEDS SAVIOURS.... SAVIOURS WITH SOUL...

INDIA IS CRYING OUT IN PAIN, AND WE,THE CITIZENS TAKE A BACK SEAT AND WATCH,THE SLOW DECLINE. CAUSE IT DOES NOT MATTER TO US. WE GET UP EVERY DAY, GO TO WORK, MEET FREINDS, AND LIVE OUR LIFE THE WAY WE WANT, THERE IS NO TIME FOR US TO THINK, AS A NATION WHERE WE ARE HEADED. THE ATTITUDE IS LACKADECICAL, AS WE HAVE CHOOSEN THE GOVERMENT TO RUN THE COUNTRY... AND THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING... RUNNING THE COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND....

Mumbai Declining!!

Mumbai, our country's Financial Capital, the city of dreams, so to say... but is it really true!! Every nook and corner of our city is lined with slums, garbage, beggars, drug addicts!!! Why do we turn our face away when we see a heroin addtic lying on the road? Why do we start walking away from the lepers that roam the street? Because we dont want our minds or are bodies near them. They are dirty,thats the thought in our mind. But a unsaid thought. No one will go out of their way to help. Its too much botheration, in the daily routine.

Its true. Its a pity though, cause this city will never grow, humanely, nor will the country. Hundreds of people die on the roads, due to the lack of food, water and shelter. They die, cause the richer keeps getting richer and the poorer keep getting poorer. How many of us will part happily with a 500 rupee note and give it to someon on the road? None!! Not even if the income is running into lakhs. How many of us will take that child and feed him/her something? Not even one of us.

The value of life is NILL in our country. The only thing we INDIANS value is MONEY!! and more money.