Sangharshnagar is actually a providence built for all those families who shifted here under the slum rehabilitation scheme from the Borivili National Park a few years back. Now days you can find only garbage littered in every nook and corner of the area, which has become a matter of concern for the residents here.
There are around 2000 fruits and vegetable sellers who have occupied the pedestrian stretch of the road. Already the pedestrian stretch has been devastated due to the drainage dumps accumulated there, these vendors are also throwing waste on the same place which is creating more worries.
Due to the already accumulated garbage dump and the daily wastes thrown by the vendors, the whole area has a foul smell due to the decomposition of the waste and garbage. There is a rapid rise in number of patients coming for check-up of their health.
Under Maharashtra Government Slum Rehabilitation scheme SRA buildings have been built at Sangharshnagar area of Chandivili 6 years back. Families from Goregaon and Kandivili are rehabilitated here and there are around 8000 families now. As there are so many families in this colony, accordingly is demand of basic things like groceries and vegetables, there are numerous illegal hawkers stationed here.
Even 6 years after the completion of the said SRA buildings, the developer has not done the handover of this society to the corporation, due to which even the corporation is unable to take any action against these hawkers.
There are around 2000 hawkers in the area of Sangharshnagar, they have put up their business in every nook and corner of the area even near drainage and public garbage corner. Moreover they are throwing the waste there itself which is polluting the area, also its ruining the area drainage system which is chocked with their garbage dumps.
After the monsoon season there is good amount of moisture with humidity due to this climatic condition people are already falling sick, and there is an epidemic like scenario building up because of Dengue menace. Recently the Bollywood’s “Man of Romance” Yash Chopra lost his fight against dengue and passed away. Even the only terrorist of 26/11 attack is also not spared by this disease of Dengue.
Now the Corporation is also trying to do every possible thing to fight against Dengue by spraying pesticides and smoke where mosquitoes could possibly breed. But in case of Sangharshnagar they are getting all the services provided by the corporation as still the developer has not given a helping hand over of the said development to the corporation.
Residents on speaking with Planet Powai said, “6 years back they were allotted keys of the said slum rehabilitation flats by the hands of CM, after which none of the authorities have ever turned up to look at the state of locality and people, at that time when CM had all the hawkers were forcibly moved from here but after that no one is bothered about our situation”.
Local Corporator Ishwar Tayade confirmed saying, “None of these hawkers were granted any kind of permission to put up their stalls, but still for the past 5-6 years they are put up here.”
Ex-Corporator Somnath Sangle added “These people are here for past many years. But this area is still not marked under the ward zone ‘L’.” As the SRA has not done a proper handing-over it’s still a dilemma on action taken against these hawkers.
We also spoke with few of the local physicians they said, “Numerous people are coming with sickness on a daily basis and they are suffering from fever, vomiting, body ache and all that. We are trying to take necessary precautions to ensure their health is safe.”
In between SRA, BMC and the hawkers confusion and rift the common man has to go through lot of problems. All they want is someone who could resolve their issues.
Source: PowaiPlanet, dt Nov 20, 2012
