30 May,2014 07:41 AM IST | | Pooja Kalwar
Residents of the illegal flats in the Campa Cola society in Worli fear they will be rendered homeless during the monsoon
Residents of the illegal flats in the Campa Cola society in Worli fear they will be rendered homeless during the monsoon. With just a day left for them to vacate their flats for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to raze them, residents hope the civic body will let them stay in, at least till the monsoon is over.
Tomorrow is the last day for residents to vacate their flats. However, they say they do not have any alternate accommodation. File pic
The civic body has started sending personal evacuation notices to the residents from Wednesday. Till now, 56 notices have been received of which 27 were accepted. These homeowners have sent the notices to their lawyers, and are awaiting their suggestions.
Nowhere to go
However, inhabitants of the controversial society say they have no other accommodation. They have tried every move to save their homes including writing to the new PM Narendra Modi. "Around 95 per cent of the residents do not have alternate shelter," claimed Karan Shethia, a resident of Patel Apartments in the Worli society.
The postponement of the evacuation would help them find other means of accommodation in the city, say residents. "It's heartless to throw someone out of their home in the rains. Our PM is very busy but we are trying our best to be in touch with him. Our MP and MLAs are supporting us.
The BMC should give us time for vacating our houses and let the monsoon pass. We can find a home in that time. We have already pleaded with the Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte, and if required, we will also send an appeal if our lawyers suggest so," added Shethia.
Kamal Parikh who is being treated for a hypothyroid problem, said, "We hope to get an extension in some way, else we will have to suffer in monsoon. We have put all our money in this house. We don't have more to buy another one in Mumbai." Anup Jhunjunwala from Esha Ekta Apartments pleaded with the authorities to push the evacuation process on humanitarian grounds.
