Madhya Pradesh
,
Rewa
,
Rewa
Published :
Sep 2020
|
Updated :
Lake Beautification Project in MP Leaves Over 80 Families Homeless During Pandemic
Reported by
Nihar Gokhale
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
293
People affected
2020
Year started
Land area affected
Households affected
293
People Affected
2020
Year started
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Urban Development (Other than Smart Cities)
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Urban Development (Other than Smart Cities)
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban
Ended
1
Summary

On May 9, 2020, the Rewa Municipal Corporation (RMC) demolished the homes of 103 families living next to Ratahara lake in Rewa town. The demolition was to pave the way for a lake beautification project proposed by the Madhya Pradesh Housing & Infrastructure Development Board. After the evictions, 17 families were allotted apartments under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), for which they had applied much earlier. The remaining 86 families were rendered homeless. Of these, 61 families have been accommodated in the parking lot of PMAY buildings in Rewa. The rest of the families have left for their native villages. The 61 families have demanded affordable housing. The RMC is currently processing their applications under the PMAY. Speaking to LCW, the homeless families said being evicted during the Covid-19 pandemic makes them vulnerable to the disease. The parking lots only have roofs without rooms or walls and they get flooded during the rains. The people, who are daily wage labourers, are unable to go to work fearing theft of their belongings. Speaking to a news daily, RMC Coommissioner Arpit Verma said that the corporation wanted to finish the demolition soon so that the beautification work could begin before the monsoons. The evictions were ordered with less than a days notice, which was announced via loudspeaker on the morning of the demolition. The evictions have been widely criticised by human rights activists for violating peoples basic rights and endangering their health during Covid-19. Shivani Chaudhry, executive director of the Housing and Land Rights Network, told LCW that the eviction was an egregious case of human rights violation and called for the project to be suspended and the displaced persons to be immediately provided with adequate compensation and alternative housing. Officials responsible for this inhumane act must also be investigated and tried under the law, she said. Meanwhile, Shivanand Dwivedi, a local social worker, has been helping the affected people file RTIs seeking information on the evictions. When they did not get a response, Dwivedi appealed to the State Information Commission, which ordered the government to release the information.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban

Type of Land

Common

Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Rewa Municipal Corporation

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Nihar Gokhale
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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