Slum dwellers protest in front of MNA’s office

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 15

Agitated over the Dehradun Municipal Corporation’s move to rehabilitate slums, a large number of slum dwellers staged a protest demonstration outside the office of Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Harak Singh Rawat.

The protesters, under the banner of Uttarakhand Malin Basti Vikas Parishad, led by association president Suryakant Dhasmana threatened to intensify stir if the DMC did not deter from its plan of slum-rehabilitation.

Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Harish Rawat through Additional District Magistrate Jharna Kamath. The memorandum stated that in a Cabinet decision taken during 2013, the state government had given the ownership rights to slum dwellers.

“However despite the orders, the DMC is trying to uproot slum dwellers. In case, no action is against the illegal step being taken by the DMC authorities, the Congress will stage a massive demonstration,” he said.

Those who were part of the demonstration included Dinesh Kaushal, Kishore Uniyal, Geeta Ram Jaisawal, Mobin Ahmed, Sonu Tiwari, Ramesh Singh, Maya Bisht, Mohal Singh, Jayanti Devi and several others.