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Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan (NAPM) welcomes the decision of government of Maharashtra in scrapping the controversial slum redevelopment clause known by the name of 3K using which the past Chief Ministers including Ashok Chavan & Vilasrao Deshmukh had allotted 500 acres of slum land to 6 builders without following any tendering. Just on the last day of his term, Ashok Chavan had agiven sanction to 2 such projects at Malwani & Chembur spread across 150 acres and the same have been scrapped by the now Chief Minister.

NAPM had exposed the 3K scam since the year 2008 when it was initiated by the government. The slum residents, particularly of Golibar a slum spread across 150 acres have been strongly opposing the implementation of the 3K rule. In the last 4 months, Shri Prithviraj Chavan has been made aware of the Illegalities of the law and following the raising of the demand, he has finally scrapped in two slum areas.

We hope that the remaining four 3K projects at Golibar, Antop Hill, Worli & Kandivali will also be scrapped in the coming few days. The 3 K rule relaxed the clause to get 70 per cent consent from the slum dwellers and gave power to the government to direct the slum rehabilitation authority to hand over the slum land for redevelopment to a builder without inviting any tenders.

At Golibar redevelopment, the residents are fighting the unjust and illegal re-development that has been imposed on them and is nothing but a ploy to grab their land, which because of being in the near vicinity of the airport and the western express highway is of very high value. The money of the 2 G spectrum scam has been invested by Unitech company in this project.

We would also demand that action be taken against the politicians and bureaucrats who were involved in sanctioning the projects and favouring the builders earlier. Instead of such pro builder policies, the government should sanction the self re-development schemes by the slum developers and the implementation of Rajiv Awas Yojana can be a step in that direction.

Medha Patkar                   Prerna Gaikwad                                Simpreet Singh                 Santosh Daonkar