Mah seeks to extend slum cut-off date

Maharashtra government has filed an affidavit in the Bombay high court seeking an extension to the cut-off deadline for slum rehabilitation in the city from 1995 to 2000.

The affidavit was filed a fortnight ago in response to a public interest litigation filed by a citizens' group, Relief Road Residents Association, challenging the state government's decision to repeatedly extend protection to unauthorised slum dwellers, a senior official in the housing department told PTI on Saturday.

The plea means that the ruling Democratic Front government has decided to implement the assurance made in its poll manifesto during last year's assembly elections of "sympathetically" considering the plight of slum dwellers.

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Asked if any mention regarding the poll manifesto assurance was made in the affidavit, the official replied in the negative.

"We just brought to the attention of the court that there was a public demand for rehabilitating these slum dwellers and as such, the state government was seeking the court's permission.

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This was because the government had earlier given an assurance in the high court that 1995 would be treated as cut-off year for slum rehabilitation," he said.

The state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had earlier this year launched a massive campaign against illegal slums in Mumbai, demolishing over 90,000 illegal slums.