Won’t force slumdwellers to shift: State

Mumbai: The state government has told the Bombay high court that it will not put pressure on slumdwellers who do not want to shift from Tansa pipeline to Mahul. The court then said that it will pass an order that the state should pay slumdwellers to shift to another place.

A division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Riyaz Chagla was hearing a PIL filed by activist Bhagwanji Rayani, seeking removal of shanties near the Tansa pipeline.

After the HC order, the BMC started removing shanties in nine of its wards but the sgovernment failed to provide accommodation.

The people refused to move to Mahul village, citing high pollution levels due to nearby refineries, relying on an observation made by the National Green Tribunal.

The court had said in its last hearing that it could not force people to go and stay in Mahul village in the light of the observations made by the NGT.