Ranchi, Feb. 18: More than one lakh people, residing in the 12 bustees that have come up illegally on HEC lands over the past four decades, today began a signature campaign, demanding ownership rights to their lands.

Their demand comes after the Centre agreed to hand over 1581.66 acres of vacant and unutilised lands to the state government.

A memorandum of the bustee residents will be submitted to chief minister Madhu Koda.

Copies will also be sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Governor Syed Sibtey Razi reminding them that over the past four and half decades no objections have been raised either by the state, HEC or the Centre to their existence granting them virtual rights, by default, to live on the land.

Apart from demanding that legal title to the lands already occupied by them be granted, the memorandum demands proper drainage systems, provision of safe drinking water and electricity connections, ration cards for all settlers and even red cards for all below poverty line (BPL) families.

“We will not allow a single bustee to be demolished by the government,” said Keya Dey, secretary of the All India Mahila Sangathan, which has been mobilising the villagers to demand legal rights to the lands.

She added that a mass awareness campaign would start from February 23 to prepare villagers for greater struggles.

Meanwhile, at a mass meeting at Kute village held today, villagers vowed that they would target all MLAs of the state if the state government used force to evict them from their lands.