Our plea fell on proverbial deaf ears

Aurangabad, May 11:

Labour Colony, built seven decades ago, turned into debris within four to five hours today morning. The occupants termed the day as Black Wednesday. Helpless men prefer to remain as silent spectators, but it was tough time for women. Some were sobbing, eyes of some women welled up with tears, some tried to hide emotions, but redness in their eyes was speaking volume. However, there were a few, who could not control their emotions on seeing their quarters getting demolished by JCBs and they bursted into crying. The echoes of all these emotions were overhead in the vicinity. Aurangabad First spoke to a few occupants on the occasion.

Says a housewife, Jyoti Poojari (alias Shradha Bharne, 48), with tears in her eyes,” I could not control my emotions as my childhood memories are attached with our quarter. I was born here, got my education completed and also got married here. It was our shelter since 1970. Labour Colony was not just a place, but an India within an India as people from all caste and walks of life stayed in peace and harmony. They were our immediate relatives offering rush for help before our real relatives arrives in emergency. My heart is bleeding. Our earnest request was to award custodianship of the four walls, in which we were grown up, on humanitarian grounds."

A middle-aged widow and lawyer Anjali Verma grieved of not winning the legal battle. She said, "I tried my best to prevent the demolition and bring a stay on the action. My in-laws were staying since 1970. The quarter became my second home after I got married and came here. Today I am a homeless mother of two adolescent girls. My belongings were thrown out on the road. I do not have a home. Tentatively, I am planning to shift at my brother's place on Beed Bypass. Yesterday, I and other residents met the minister Balasaheb Thorat. He also telephoned the administration, in front of us, and told to give some time before action. It was our due right as we were handing over our possessions peacefully."

Grieved a 45-year-old Mir Muzaffar Ali," The administration should have given a thought of rehabilitating around 5,000 persons (staying in 338 quarters). Labour Colony was in real means a shelter to many of us. The last lane in the Colony is called as Widow Lane as it sans male patriarch in their houses. The administration did not also waited for the verdict of petition filed by landlord from Hyderabad and claimant (of land) Nawab Muhammed Yusufuddin Khan. He has demanded compensation before taking any action on the said land. The hearing is scheduled to be held on June 13."

“ My husband retired as Class IV employee and passed away during last year. My two daughters are married, but I stay with my lone son, who is having two kids, and earns his livelihood by working in grocery shop and gets around

Rs 10,000 salary. We were requesting to allot the possession and were ready to pay the rent for it," stresed YamunaBai Kathar (73). She was sobbing by standing near the debris of her demolished quarter.

A visually challenged and retired music teacher from Government College, J M Kalasne said, “ I am already struggling to get my pension sanctioned for the past seven years. The administration should have served evacuation notice with some time period before action.”