Naga Baba Khatal and Islam Nagar - two historical slum colonies to thrive on encroached land for decades. But after the high court’s stringent stand on illegal settlements, the civic body has realised it has eight other illegal settlements on its hands.

With the capital burning and boiling over forced eviction, rehab is a pressing concern. The Arjun Munda government is mulling over relocating illegal settlements, including Islam Nagar, on land owned by Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) or Government Polytechnic, Ranchi.

The Centre, on its part, had already sent Rs 200 crore under its slum revamp scheme, Basic Services for Urban Poor, for around 60 slums in the capital so that people can get decent civic amenities and a one-room dwelling unit built on Housing and Urban Development Corporation model.

Much depends on how well - or how badly - the scheme is executed.

Amit Gupta visits three illegal slums, where residents await either the bulldozer or legal papers

BHUIYAN TOLI

• Where: On RMC land, under ward No. 24

• Origin: Before 1975, as per RMC records

• Households: Over 250

• People profile: Mostly Scheduled Caste rickshawpullers. Some ply auto-rickshaws or cars. Few work in hospitals as cleaning staff

• State take: Slum part of phase I of BSUP. Fifty-two families have been handpicked under the scheme

HARIJAN TOLA / BALMIKI NAGAR, HARMU

• Where: On RMC land, under ward No. 30

• Origin: Before 1975, as per RMC records

• Households: Over 300

• People profile: Cleaning staff of RMC or NGOs; few IV Grade government employees

• State take: Slum part of phase I of BSUP. Fifty-eight families have been handpicked under the scheme

• Where: On RMC land, under ward No. 17

• Origin: Before 1975, as per RMC records

• Households: Around 200

• People profile: Men pull hired rickshaws, women work as daily maids

• State take: Slum part of phase I of BSUP. Thirty families have been handpicked under the scheme

OFFICIALSPEAK

After the Islam Nagar incident, we are re-working our proposal. Re-location seems to be the most feasible option

Vinay Kumar Choubey
RMC chief executive officer

These slums exists since the 1970s. The government should soon take a decision whether to regulate them in their existing areas or re-locate them

Awadh Bihari Tiwary
RMC senior employee

The eviction drive has been a historic failure. In my opinion the poor should not face the burnt. The government should first give land for relocation of people before displacing people. There is no proper co-ordination between RMC, district administration and other government officials

Rama Khalkho
Ranchi mayor

OFF THE RECORD

An RMC official not wishing to be named said they were in the process of identifying land near Nagri in Ranchi’s outskirts where displaced people of these illegal colonies would get temporary accommodation till the time the BSUP scheme came into force. “But it is the government's prerogative whether to implement the BSUP scheme by legitimising the illegal settlements or relocating people permanently to a new site,” he said