With the Dhakuria Lakes bracing for an eviction war on the waterfront, nearly 20,000 slum-dwellers threatened on Thursday to choose death over displacement.

The illegal residents in the Dhakuria bridge-Tollygunge railway station zone of Rabindra Sarobar insisted they would not budge an inch under pressure from the judiciary or the administration.

“We will lie down in front of the bulldozers if they come to evict us. We are ready to give our lives if police rain bullets on us. Unless the authorities make alternative arrangements for our rehabilitation, we will not allow them to touch even an inch of our land,” was the war cry from the daily wage-earners.

Babulal Pramanik, secretary of Gobindopur Railway Colony Sangram Committee, said most residents have been in the area for more than 60 years. “We enjoy all civic amenities and possess ration cards and voters’ identity cards. How can they say that we are settled illegally?” demanded Pramanik.

“The state government is bound to provide us with an alternative arrangement under the Valmiki Ambedkar Yojana scheme (a central government project). Where are all the funds for that going?” asked Pramanik.

Sukdeb Haldar, assistant secretary of the committee, echoed Pramanik’s views and added that the settlers were not against development work in the city but they would resist the eviction move till the end.

“We are aware of the high court directive and we will be all too happy if the authorities clean up the city. But how can they do so at the cost of several thousands residing here?” cried Haldar.

Pledging “stiff resistance” when the eviction drive started, Haldar went on to claim that “all political parties” were aware of their plight and had “assured full support” if flashpoint was reached. “Apart from the local leaders, Union defence minister Pranab Mukherjee, and social activist Medha Patkar are aware of our problem,” he said.

Local Trinamul Congress councillor Ratan Dey insisted that the settlers could not be evicted as the matter was still pending before Supreme Court. “The residents either have to be compensated or rehabilitated. Otherwise, we will organise a mass movement,” warned Dey.

Rabin Deb, CPM legislator from Ballygunge, said he would first go through the high court eviction order and then discuss the matter at a party meeting, before arriving at any conclusion.