People being brutally evicted: Police restrictions continue on food and water….
(Samaj Weekly)- On 23rd July, the Faridabad Municipal Corporation told the Supreme Court that they have cleared 74 acres out of 150 acres. Despite the affidavit of the Municipal Corporation, the court, on the complaint of various litigants, that the arrangements for living, food etc. have not been made for the people. Apex Court has asked the litigants to send their application to the Municipal commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Faridabad. In case of no action, the court will look into it on the next date.
The court has also said that apart from this, any other illegal structure on the forest land should be removed. The court also gave time to the litigants to file their comments on the draft rehabilitation policy prepared by the corporation in the court within one day. which we are sending.
The affidavit of the Faridabad Municipal Corporation filed in the Supreme Court is completely different from the ground reality.
The ground reality is that demolitions are ongoing and approximately 1000 more homes have been demolished.
Since 15 July when actual eviction began Police brutalities upon residents are ongoing. A few days back one woman attempted suicide by hanging out of despair when her house was demolished and a man named Rajni also jumped from his roof unobstructed by police and sustained grievous injuries for which he is now hospitalised in the trauma centre.
Relief workers are also preventing the distribution of food and water and threatening them with arrest. Residents are even being prevented from going to the medical store despite the fact that many have fallen sick, living out in the open during the monsoon rains amid the demolished ruins fo their homes. Even pregnant women are not being provided a place to sit. Police have even gone so far as to overturn containers in which food is being cooked for being distributed. As Khori Gaon resident Pinky says “Our houses have been demolished and we have been in the rain all night. We have no place to stay, where should we go and what do I do with my small children, with my family? We don’t even have food to eat now”
Journalist Samit Yadav from the media outlet The Tsunami was blocked from filming and they were threatened with an attempt to murder case under S. 307 of the IPC. Their phones were snatched and their videos of the demolition were deleted, as well as their photographs of the contrast between the working class homes being destroyed and the encroaching hotels which are being given a free pass with no demolitions.
On the orders of the Supreme Court, the people who were humiliated by the Haryana government from Khori village, deprived of health services, living under the shadow of the police are sending letters to the Municipal Corporation. They have written in the letter that till now there is no government system for shelter, food, water, health and defecation for the desolate people.
We urgently demand that all the evicted and affected people be provided the following until proper rehabilitation is done :-
1)- Shelter, till complete rehabilitation.
2)- Food, Milk and dry food for children along with cooked food.
3) – Water, For drinking water and other needs.
4)-Moving Van Toilet (MVT).
5) Health-related assistance in which doctors, ambulances and hospital assistance are needed.
In Solidarity
Ishita Chatterjee, Neelesh Kumar (9313794336),, Manju Menon , Vimal Bhai {9718479517} and saathi
Concern Citizens for Khori Gaon
National Alliance of People’s Movements
