Mumbai: (Vidya Srinivas has been a resident of the Campa Cola compound for 12 years. A journalist, she's also on the faculty of The Xavier Institute Of Communications, Mumbai)It has been a little over a year since the BMC's representatives first landed at our door step with crowbars and pick-axes to demolish 106 flats in the seven-buildings of Campa Cola Compound.
In the past year we unearthed hidden skills and strengths: we learned to lobby with politicians across party lines and bring them onto a common platform. And we became experts in dealing with the media.
Our travails began in 1980, when Pure Drinks prevailed upon the ruling Congress party and converted a part of its industrial land into a plot for residential buildings. Construction laws were violated by the three companies that came in as developers-the floor space was larger than it was meant to be. The builders paid part of the fines levied for the violations and sold the flats without Occupation Certificates, promising the documentation would be issued when the project was completed.
This did not happen; consequently, we did not get piped water. When we went to court for water, the BMC slapped a demolition order on 106 flats. 90% of the flats scheduled for demolition are within permissible limits. Then another real estate company bought the remaining industrial land to develop a luxury hotel here. But there was not enough land for the project and he sought the extra land needed from our side. After a long legal battle, on February 27, 2013, the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of 106 flats which were deemed illegal. I bought my flat for nearly Rs. 1.5 crore. I live there with my husband.
Since then we have knocked on every door to save our homes. Our efforts supported by the media did not go in vain. Justice Singhvi who issued the initial eviction order sympathized with us, giving six months to find a solution with authorities from the Municipal Corporation.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan assured us help in the assembly in Nagpur but back-tracked. BMC lawyers informed the court that they are not interested in working with us to find alternative housing for us.
Does this mean the Chief Minister wants Campa Cola brought down? Does he want to render us homeless? Can he explain why? We have given him solutions which are within the law. For example, we've suggested that residents will voluntarily demolish the illegal parts of each flat. We've also said that we are willing to demolish and reconstruct all 106 flats in the same compound.
So what's stopping him from saving our homes? In the Indian democracy the government is elected by the people to serve the people.
But not this Congress government. It only chooses to serve itself and persecute its law-abiding middle-class citizens.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this blog are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing on the blog do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.