Life on margins: Slum dwellers for resettlement plan before eviction

Leaders of various katchi abadis assert that their strength was in unity, mutual respect of working people everywhere.

Resolving to resist any move to evict them, residents of various katchi abadis in the capital held a demonstration in Sector H-11 katchi abadi on Sunday afternoon, said a press release.

Katchi Abadi Alliance Chairman and Punjab Awami Workers Party (AWP) Secretary Dr Aasim Sajjad Akhtar said that the decision of eviction was highly unfortunate and has only added to the sufferings of working people rather than alleviating them.

He said that the working classes have been forced to acquire residence in the abadis because the city administration has failed to create even a basic plan for the residential requirements of these 2.5 lakh residents.

He said that the alliance has been asking the city administration to chalk out a plan for the settlement of slums in consultation with the residents, but to no avail.

He said that it is entirely unacceptable to ask the residents to relocate without any resettlement plan, and without any security regarding the provision of basic facilities at the sites nominated for relocation.

Leaders of various katchi abadis spoke at the demonstration and asserted that their strength was in the unity and mutual respect of working peoples everywhere, regardless of caste, creed, gender, and religion.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2014.