Harsul residents ended 5-months long agitation in front of collectorate

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The protest staged by the homeless from Harsul in front of the District Collector’s office was withdrawn on Tuesday after nearly five months. The agitation, which began in March, was handled with compassion by District Collector Deelip Swami.

The protesters were allowed to use the ground-floor restroom facilities of the District Collector’s office, and water supply was also provided whenever required. During the rains, they were given shelter in the ground-floor veranda. For five months, the protest continued in front of the Collector’s office, a situation that the administration could have easily suppressed with police force. However, instead of taking action against them, Collector Swami adopted a humanitarian approach, corresponding with the municipal corporation six times to instruct that a decision be taken regarding their situation.

The protest was called off only after the municipal corporation assured that houses would be provided to them under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and until the houses were completed, they would receive a monthly rent allowance of ₹2,500.

In March, the municipal corporation demolished encroachments at Gut Numbers 216 and 217 in Harsul. Following this, around 350 families set up huts in front of the Collector’s office, effectively starting their protest there. Their demand was for alternative housing, but no solution emerged for months.

Six rounds of correspondence

“The District Collector’s office is the leading administrative authority. If a protest for a single issue continues for five months, it is a serious matter. Therefore, I corresponded with the municipal corporation six times, instructing them to make an appropriate decision for these homeless families. The police were prepared to take action, but I took the stance that since these were homeless citizens, no action should be taken against them. During the rains, the ground floor gate was kept open so they could get shelter,” said the Collector Deelip Swami.

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Agitators shifts to shelter homes

A total of 30 families today shifted to the municipal corporation’s shelter homes situated in Cidco N-6, Moti Karanja and Gandhinagar. The agitators were demanding alternate houses to 350 families whose settlements were removed from Harsul. However, the issue came to light when community leaders went on indefinite strike from August 1 and 4. The strike ended after the municipal corporation submitted a written assurance stating that they will be given 5 per cent reservation in PMAY; rehabilitate the affected families in shelter homes and grant Rs 2,500 rent per month. The administrations concerned heaved a sigh of relief as the agitation ended ahead of Independence Day celebration.