ROURKELA: At a time when approximately 80 slum families in the Hilltop Basti on Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) land face an imminent eviction threat, those dwellers residing on government land within the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) jurisdiction have been granted permanent settlement under the JAGA mission.
The RSP has issued eviction notices to the Hilltop Basti residents to make way for a road expansion and beautification project. Despite their pleas for proper rehabilitation, the families were directed to temporarily relocate to a secluded area along the Koel River at Sector-16, with no assurances of basic amenities. The affected families, already struggling financially, expressed their inability to afford new constructions.
Following a demonstration before the residence of RN Pali MLA Subrat Tarai, a meeting with RSP’s chief general manager (Town Services) PK Swain and senior officers took place. Tarai announced that the RSP has assured to stop the eviction drive until a suitable location with basic amenities is finalised for the dwellers. RSP also committed to assisting the affected families in need. The incident however, highlighted the lack of slum rehabilitation measures within the territorial jurisdiction of RSP or South Eastern Railway (SER).
Despite a proposal by then Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in 2019 to blend encroached land with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) for low-cost housing, no progress has been made.
Tarai criticised the lack of initiative from the district administration and RSP, emphasising the need for sincere efforts in slum rehabilitation. While the JAGA mission successfully delisted 86 slums on government land in RMC limits, the 45 slums on RSP and SER land have been neglected.