MM LEADERS BRIEF SACHS: World-famous Columbia University economist Jeffery Sachs (in pic with SPARC’s Sheela Patel) currently on the Mil- lennium Development Goals Task Force, met Mahila Milan leaders at the Byculla Area Resource Centre mid-2004. They told him of how the Federation had taught them to think collectively and solve problems pro-actively. MMs Refine Milan Nagar House Design S OF April 2005, the first of four buildings of the Milan Nagar Hous- ing project – Mumbai’s first project to resettle pavement dwellers – is almost complete. It has taken longer than ex- pected to build because of its compli- cated design which divides each tenement into three levels, creating pri- FROM PAVEMENT TO PUCCA HOMES: An eighteen year old dream came true when Mumbai’s first housing project for pavement dwellers began coming up at Milan Nagar. The permission to get land and start building took eighteen hard years of work but finally the construction got underway. One Mahila Milan leader is always on site to supervise the work. Other leaders visit on a weekly basis to oversee work done and payments to be made. QqVikFk ls iDds ?kjksa rd% vBkjg lky iqjkuk liuk lkdkj gqvk tc feyu uxj esa eqacbZ ds QqVikFkokfl;ksa dh igyh vkokl ifj;kstuk fueZk.kk/khu gSA tehu feyus esa vkSj fuekZ.k dh Lohd`fr feyus esa 18 dfBu lky yxs ij vkf[kjdj fuekZ.k pkyw gSA efgyk feyu dh ,d usrk dke dh ns[k js[k djus ges’kk lkbV ij jgrh gSA vU; usrk lIrkg esa ,d ckj ns[kus vkrs gSa fd fdruk dke gqvk gS vkSj D;k Hkqxrku djus gSaA vate spaces for different generations liv- ing together. Since the costs of this design are fairly high, and many households don’t want ‘levels’, the Byculla Mahila Milan is in the midst of considering other op- tions and making a mid-course correc- tion. Mahila Milan leader Bano explained that the next building would have just two split levels, similar to the original design that the group had created some 18 years ago. Shakoorbhai of Byculla added, “This present type of construction takes double, sometimes triple, the amount of time. So we are considering other de- signs because our priority is now to move in quickly and create a model that saves on money and time.” A efgyk feyu usrkvksa us lSDl dks fn;k fooj.k fo”o izfl) gkoZMZ vFkZ”kkL=h tSQjh lSDl] tks vktdy feySfu;e fodkl y{;ksa ds VkLd QkslZ esa gSa] 2004 e?; esa Hkk;dyk ,fj;k fjlkslZ lsaVj vk, tgka os oMkyk] dksdjh vkxkj vkSj Hkk;dyk dh efgyk feyu usrkvksa ls feysA mUgksaus crk;k fd laxBu us mUgsa lkewfgd :i ls lkspuk vkSj lfØ; rjhds ls leL;kvksa dk lek/kku djuk fl[kk;k gSA mlus mudh {kerk,sa fodflr dha ftlls fd os laxBu esa dke dj ldsa vkSj ,d cM+s vkSj “kfDr”kkyh xzqi dk Hkkx cu ldsaA efgyk feyu us feyu efgyk feyu us feyu efgyk feyu us feyu efgyk feyu us feyu efgyk feyu us feyu uxj ds fMt+kbu dks uxj ds fMt+kbu dks uxj ds fMt+kbu dks uxj ds fMt+kbu dks uxj ds fMt+kbu dks lq/kkjk lq/kkjk lq/kkjk lq/kkjk lq/kkjk viz s y 2005 rd] feyu uxj vkokl ;ks tuk dh pkj es a ls igyh bekjr yxHkx rS;kj gS & ;g eqacbZ dh igyh ifj;k s tuk gS tgk a Qq VikFkokyk s a ds iquoZlu ds fy;s pkj rhu&ea ft+ yh bekjrs a cukbZ tk,a xhA blds fueZk.k es a vk”kk ls vf/kd le; yxk D;ks a fd bldk fMt+ kbu cgqr tfVy FkkA bles a gj ?kj dks rhu Lrjks a es a cka Vk x;k Fkk ftlls fd lkFk jg jgh gj ih<+ h dks futh txg fey lds A bl fMt+ kbu dk [kpZ dkQh T;knk gS ] blfy;s Hkk;dyk efgyk feyu ckdh dh rhu bekjrks a ds fy;s fodYi lks p jgh gS A efgyk feyu us rk ckuw us crk;k fd vxyh fcfYMa x es a flQZ nks Lrj gks a xs ] mlh fMt+ kbu ls feyrs tqyrs tks muds xzqi us dqN 18 lky igys cuk;k FkkA Hkk;dyk ds “kdw j HkkbZ us dgk] ^^bl vHkh okys fuekZ.k es a nqxuk vkSj dHkh dHkh frxquk le; Hkh yx tkrk gSA blfy;s vc ge nw ljs fMt+ kbu Hkh ns [k jgs gS a D;ks a fd vc ges a tYn ls tYn ogka tkuk gS ( ,s lk ekW My cukuk pkfg;s tks iSls vkSj le; dh cpr djs A
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June 2005Citywatch:India34
MM LEADERS BRIEF SACHS:
World-famous Columbia Universityeconomist Jeffery Sachs (in pic withSPARC’s Sheela Patel) currently on the Mil-lennium Development Goals Task Force,met Mahila Milan leaders at the BycullaArea Resource Centre mid-2004. They toldhim of how the Federation had taught themto think collectively and solve problemspro-actively.
MMs Refine Milan Nagar House DesignS OF April 2005, the first of fourbuildings of the Milan Nagar Hous-ing project – Mumbai’s first project
to resettle pavement dwellers – is almostcomplete. It has taken longer than ex-pected to build because of its compli-cated design which divides eachtenement into three levels, creating pri-
FROM PAVEMENT TO PUCCA HOMES: An eighteen year old dream came true when Mumbai’s first housing project for pavement dwellers begancoming up at Milan Nagar. The permission to get land and start building took eighteen hard years of work but finally the construction got underway. OneMahila Milan leader is always on site to supervise the work. Other leaders visit on a weekly basis to oversee work done and payments to be made.
vate spaces for different generations liv-ing together.
Since the costs of this design arefairly high, and many households don’twant ‘levels’, the Byculla Mahila Milanis in the midst of considering other op-tions and making a mid-course correc-tion. Mahila Milan leader Bano explained
that the next building would have justtwo split levels, similar to the originaldesign that the group had created some18 years ago.
Shakoorbhai of Byculla added, “Thispresent type of construction takesdouble, sometimes triple, the amount oftime. So we are considering other de-signs because our priority is now tomove in quickly and create a model thatsaves on money and time.”
A
efgyk feyu usrkvksa us lSDl dks fn;k fooj.k
fo”o izfl) gkoZMZ vFkZ”kkL=h tSQjh lSDl] tks vktdyfeySfu;e fodkl y{;ksa ds VkLd QkslZ esa gSa] 2004e?; esa Hkk;dyk ,fj;k fjlkslZ lsaVj vk, tgka osoMkyk] dksdjh vkxkj vkSj Hkk;dyk dh efgyk feyuusrkvksa ls feysA mUgksaus crk;k fd laxBu us mUgsalkewfgd :i ls lkspuk vkSj lfØ; rjhds ls leL;kvksadk lek/kku djuk fl[kk;k gSA mlus mudh {kerk,safodflr dha ftlls fd os laxBu esa dke dj ldsa vkSj,d cM+s vkSj “kfDr”kkyh xzqi dk Hkkx cu ldsaA
efgyk feyu us feyuefgyk feyu us feyuefgyk feyu us feyuefgyk feyu us feyuefgyk feyu us feyuuxj ds fMt+kbu dksuxj ds fMt+kbu dksuxj ds fMt+kbu dksuxj ds fMt+kbu dksuxj ds fMt+kbu dkslq/kkjklq/kkjklq/kkjklq/kkjklq/kkjk
These Slum DevelopmentPlans Have No Place forSlum Dwellers!
EVELOPER Mukesh Mehta is inthe news because of his plans toredevelop Dharavi, “the largest
slum in Asia”. The plan which envisagesglobal competitive bidding for thedevelopment of different sectorsin Dharavi apparently has thebacking of the Maharashtra Gov-ernment.
Dharavi, spread over some430 acres of land was inventedby India’s poor who came fromits different states to Mumbai, reclaimedthe marshy land and made it habitable.Today, Dharavi’s six lakh people form avibrant, cosmopolitan community. Apeople of diverse ethnic, linguistic andreligious backgrounds.
A home both to the poor and the bet-ter-off. Here you will find an astonishinglywide range of economic activity – fromthose who make idlis to potters to tan-ners to manufacturers of airline cutleryand crockery. There are workers whomake only Rs. 300 a month and thereare a few entrepreneurs who earn evenRs. 300,000 a month.There are pottersmaking Diwali diyas with smuggled claywhich you and I buy at very cheap rates.Scrap and garbage recycling are majorsources of income generation here.Alongside, we also know that at least 21children of Dharavi are studying in medi-cal college and more than 40 are doingengineering courses.
What will happen to all these peopleif Mukesh Mehta’s plans are imple-mented? More likely than not they willbe pushed out of Dharavi as it transformsitself into multi-storeyed apartments andglitzy commercial establishments. TheGovernment has agreed to give an FSIof 4, paving the way for skyscrapers. Wedoubt that the present residents ofDharavi will be able to afford to live ingleaming high-rises. Dharavi, so closeto the Bandra-Kurla complex, the plannedinternational financial centre of the citywith its diamond bourses and its multi-national offices, will cater to the needsof the better-off and the wealthy.
The experience of more than 50 yearsof development in the Third World hasconclusively proved that the top-down ap-proach of paternalistic, sometimes so-cialist, States has not worked. Elitesdecide what is good for the people andpredictably, these decisions do not workin favour of the poor. Has Mehta engagedin any consultation with the residents of
Bharat Janatabuilding inDharavi, likeRajiv Indira, isdesigned andbuilt by a co-opof slumdwellers.
¼^xqM xoZuSal* esa ,-tksfdu] “khyk iVsy ,oa lqanj cqjkZ ds ys[k ls m)fjr½
D
/kkjkoh fLFkr Hkkjr turk bekjrA jktho bafnjk dhrjg >ksaiM+iÍhokfl;ksa us bldk fMt+kbu cuk;k gS vkSjfuekZ.k fd;k gSA
Dharavi, much less the poor amongthem? There are more than 400 housingco-operatives of slum dwellers here buthas Mehta discussed his plans with evenone? When we try to make Mumbai likeShanghai, let’s remember China is notfamous for democratic decision-making.
There is another way in which Dharavican be redeveloped – by adopting a bot-
tom-up approach, through com-munity participation, by drawingup plans that are people-centered,and by addressing the livelihoodconcerns of the poor. Mr. Mehta,we are not against global capitalor skyscrapers or the pursuit of
proft per se – but does all this have tobe at the cost of the poor? That’s theimportant question to answer.
(Extract from article in ‘Good Governance’ byA. Jockin, Sheela Patel and Sundar Burra)
fo
June 2005Citywatch:India36
HE success of the Alliance’s firsthousing project for bidi workers inSholapur, initiated in 1998, has re-
sulted in more offers speeding the Alli-ance way.
Sholapur is a city with hundreds ofthousands of bidi (Indian cigarettes)workers, mostly women, working in co-operatives that roll bidis for variousbrands. Although a Central-State Govt.housing subsidy does exist for bidi work-ers, they have unfortunately not beenable to access it. As a result, almostall live in rented homes in various partsof the city – while dreaming of a homeand workplace of their own.
One of the reasons the bidi workersdo not access the subsidy is that thegovernment prototype for housing is tooexpensive. The sub-sidy barely covershalf the constructioncosts and the work-ers cannot afford toput in the remainingamount.
In 1998, the Alli-ance held a housingexhibition demon-strating a substan-tially cheaper modelwhere two-thirdsof the cost was metby the subsidy.It then gave a loanto members of theMaa Saheb BidiKamgar Griha NirmanSanstha for the re-maining amount. Asthe construction gotunderway, membersregularly saved to-wards repayment,the monies beingdeposited in theSanstha or Societyaccount.
There was yet an-other catch – you can’t access the hous-ing subsidy if you don’t have land! Ineffect, the ability to get a loan to pur-chase land leverages a subsidy.Sholapur-Phase I therefore used a loanfrom the Alliance to purchase land.
As part of Phase I, 500 houses werebuilt. All of them were registered in thewomen’s names.
Attracted by the success of the firstproject, the Alliance was approached bymore than 2,000 other members of thesame Union. >
‘kksykiqj us fn[kk;k jkLrk‘kksykiqj us fn[kk;k jkLrk‘kksykiqj us fn[kk;k jkLrk‘kksykiqj us fn[kk;k jkLrk‘kksykiqj us fn[kk;k jkLrkBca/ku }kjk 1998 esa “kksykiqj ds chM+h dkexkjksaa ds fy;s “kq: dh x;h igyh vkokl ;kstukdh lQyrk ds ifj.kkeLo:i vkSj Hkh dbZ izLrko vk;s gSaA “kksykiqj “kgj esa dbZ gtkj chM+hetnwj] eq[;r% efgyk,sa] vyx vyx lgdkjh chM+h m|ksxksa esa dke djrh gSaA gkykafd chM+h
The Sholapur model-Phase 1 not only inspired 2,000 more members of the same Union tobuild similar homes, it has roused the interest of the Municipality as also the State Govt. intaking up similar projects.
‘Showlapur’ Shows the Way‘Showlapur’ Shows the Way
Tx
June 2005 Citywatch:India 37
FSI – FLOOR SPACE INDEXThis limits the amount you can construct on one site.For eg., if FSI is 2.5, it means on a 1,000 sq. metres plot, youcan construct upto 2,500 sq. metres area.
TDR – TRANSFERABLE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTSis a market mechanism that gives builders an incentive toconstruct rehab tenements for slum dwellers. For instance,if a builder is constructing rehab tenements onplot A, he has the right to construct additionalunits on the plot to finance the rehab elementof his project. Alternatively, he can finance thisconstruction by selling the TDR so that it canbe used for equivalent construction anywhereto the north of the plot.
SRA SCHEME – SLUM REHABILITATIONAUTHORITY SCHEMEUnder the SRA Scheme, slum dwellers inMaharashtra who can prove they have beenliving in a slum since 1.1.1995 are eligible for afree 225 sq. metres tenement. Part of the landis used to rehouse existing slum dwellers inmulti-storeyed apartments, the remaining isused to build apartments to sell on the open market. In thisway free housing for the poor is cross-subsidised.
CONSTRUCTIONSPEAK
>Their application and documentation was reviewed by a com-mittee of SPARC, Mahila Milan and NSDF as also legal con-sultants.
This second group of bidi workers who owned small plotspooled resources and borrowed a large sum of money lastyear(on which they were paying a hefty interest) to purchasean extensive plot of about 70 acres. The Alliance got the plottransferred in the name of the Maa Saheb Union. Its mem-bers then entered into a development agreement with SPARC’ssister-organisation SSNS, to start planning for 2500 morehouses and some collectively-owned worksheds.
This second phase is designed insuch a way that CLIFF* (an infrastruc-ture financing facility) will bridge the cost ofconstruction, and will be repaid once the sub-sidy comes in. The whole process is alsobeing documented so that it can be widelydisseminated.
The success of the Sholapur projects has roused the in-terest of the Municipality which would like to be involved.Groups in districts around Sholapur are also keen to learnfrom these projects, while the Labour Welfare Ministry plansto share this project experience with other States.
Two lessons emerge very clearly. First, that it is criticalfor the poor to have access to bridge finance because veryoften subsidies only come through after the project is com-plete. And second, it is only with the help of organised com-munities like the NSDF that isolated groups can accesssubsidies.
*WHAT IS CLIFF? CLIFF (or CommunityLed Infrastructure Finance Facility) is afinancing mechanism that provides or-ganizations of the urban poor direct ac-cess to the venture capital they need toshow their capacity to develop creativeand sustainable solutions to problemsin slums. These approaches are almostby definition, experimental. They test outideas on a small scale, then seek toscale them up, so that large numbers of people canbenefit. The finance helps cities plan on basis of long-term pragmatic solutions rather than short-term orisolated pilot projects.
UR’S is a very different community-driven design,” said Ravi , site en-gineer for Oshiwara Project-I,
“they’ve got just one room with no sepa-rate living spaces.” He was comparing the225 sq. foot Alliance-designed and builtapartments for MUIP-affected house-holds, with neighbouring ones put up by aprivate builder.
Each Alliance tenement has aseparate kitchen, common room,bedroom, toilet and bathroom. Thecorridors are five feet wide and builtto allow in maximum light andbreeze. There’s an internal court-yard for large gatherings.
For those not in the know, MUIP or theMumbai Urban Infrastructure Project is aroad-widening project undertaken by theGovernment of Maharashtra, which in-volves the resettlement of some 30,000families that lived along the affected roads.In June 2003, the Alliance was given thesole contract for survey and resettlementof all these families.
The Alliance also undertook to con-struct 800 tenements as part of thisproject. Construction work was handled bythe Alliance’s sister-organisation Nirman(SSNS) and financed through bridge fundsprovided by CLIFF (Community Lead In-frastructure Financing Facility.) Like inother Alliance projects, much of the brick-work, plastering, and painting was takenup by MM contractors.
The Oshiwara project is an importantmilestone for the Alliance because for thefirst time it has taken up the challenge tocomplete such a large project within a shortspan of time. Federation leaders regu-larly accompanied project-affected peopleto view the tenements. Preference offloors is given to people who are not wellor are elderly with the rest of the floorsand flats assigned by lottery.
Although many communities were notpart of the Federation before this project,they subsequently opened savings ac-counts with MM to pay for increased main-tenance costs. As the Alliance stresses,poor, vulnerable families must plan as acollective so they may benefit in the movefrom informal to formal housing systems.
Oshiwara is just one of the sites thatMUIP-affected families will live in. But thehope is that communities, seeing the high– and yet financially feasible – standardsof Alliance houses, will make similar qual-ity demands on private developers throughMMRDA, the nodal agency coordinatingthe project.
mudk izLrko Fkk fd xBca/ku 2000 ls vf/kd ifjokjksa ds fy, ?kj cuk,AeqacbZ esa xBca/ku dh lcls cM+h fuekZ.k ifj;kstuk! okrkZvksa ds ckn] vxLr esa eseksjSaMe vkSQ
vaMjLVSafMax ij gLrk{kj gq,] mlds dqN le; ckn gh uhao dk dke “kq# gks x;kAvksf”kokjk&2 ifj;kstuk esa vfrØe.k djus okyksa esa HkSlksa ds rcsys izeq[k gSaA dqy
feykdj ml txg ls 372 >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa dks pkj bekjrksa esa ?kj fn, tk,axsA dbZ rcsyksadks gVkuk iM+sXkk vkSj ml txg ij fLFkr rhu fizafVax izSl okyksa ds lkFk ckrphr pkywgS fd os viuh tehu ds cnys bu cgqeaftyh bekjrksa esa eq¶r txg ys ysaA D;ksafd futhtehu ds cM+s fgLls ij vfrØe.k gks pqdk gS] ekfyd laxBu ds lkFk Hkkxhnkjh djuk
Alliance Takes Up MostAmbitious Project Yetat Oshiwara
HE neighbours were watching.When it was clear that the Nirman-constructed Oshiwara Project-I of
800 households was going aheadsmoothly, the landowners of the adjoin-ing site approached the Alliance with an
even more ambitious project.Their proposal was for the Alli-
ance to build tenements for over2000 households – the Alliance’slargest construction project inMumbai! Discussions led to aMemorandum of Understandingbeing signed in August and foun-
dation work began shortly after.In what is named Oshiwara II, tabelas
or buffalo sheds figure prominently amongthe encroachers. In all, 372 slum dwellerson site will be given tenements in fourbuildings, many tabelas need to be shifted,and negotiations are underway with threeprinting presses on site to exchange theirland for free space in new multi-storiedbuildings.
Since large parts of private land havebeen encroached upon, the landownersare keen on partnering with the Federa-tion which can negotiate with residentswho have encroached the space. This isone of the Federation’s key strengths: theability to negotiate with slum dwellers onsite, and protect their interests, while si-multaneously taking into account theother’s point of view.
Problems regardless, work is today pro-ceeding apace on six of the planned 24buildings at Oshiwara II. Three contrac-tors have taken up construction while sub-contracts for brickwork, painting and plas-tering will be given to community contrac-tors from NSDF. The contractors havebuilt transit tenements for their labour, pro-vided a medical dispensary, and reservedspace for a creche for the labourers’ chil-dren – all requirements set down by theAlliance.
The Oshiwara projects show that theAlliance is clearly setting a trend. Theydemonstrate to landowners and govern-ment authorities and, what’s more, to fi-nancial institutions, that the Alliancemakes a reliable development partner.Branch officials from NHB and ICICI whohave been closely following the Alliance’swork at Oshiwara have agreed to give alarge loan for this construction.
AUGUST 2004, the Fed-eration approved a hous-ing loan of Rs. 6,96,000or Rs. 24,000 each for29 members of thePondicherry Slum Dwell-
ers Federation. These members live in aslum called Swamipillaithotam, which hasbeen affected by a road-widening project.
Although 134 families live inthe slum, the government hasagreed to resettle only those fami-lies who can prove they own theirstructure. Those that rent theirhomes – even if they have beenliving there for decades – have topay Rs. 24,000 to purchase land.Fortunately for these families, a nearbyfactory has agreed to loan this amount toits workers from the slum.
However, 29 members of the PSDFbenefit neither from the government’splans (because they rent rooms) nor fromthe factory (since they do not work there).For them, the Federation is the only routeto loans. They have been with the PSDFfor the last five years and have collectedRs. 3000 in their house savings accountswhich they will offer as down payment to-wards the loan.
Fortunately, since it is the 100th anni-versary of local leader Kamraj, under aspecial Kamraj Yojna, Rs.40,000 is beingoffered to each slumdweller who wantsto build a home and has the necessaryland patta (deed). By loaning money tothese families to buy land, the Federationwill ensure that they can take advantageof the Kamraj Yojana to build new homesfor themselves.
PSDF secured land for its members who had been excluded from a government relocation program.Above, the Federation also gave loans to help people buy land and begin constructing their new homes.
ih-,l-Mh-,Q-us vius mu lnL;ks ds fy;s tehu iDDh dh ftUgsa ljdkjh iquoZlu dk;ZØe esa ughs j[kk x;k FkkAÅij] xBca/ku us yksxksa dks tehu [kjhn dj vius u;s ?kjks dk fuekZ.k dk;Z “kq: djus ds fy;s _.k Hkh fn;sA
v
June 2005 Citywatch:India 41
All-India Slum DwellersDebate Interest Issue
HALO MANKHURD’ – was theroundup call of the National SlumDwellers Federation’s national con-
vention this year. And from across thecountry, the world and the city of Mumbai,slum dwellers responded as they streamedinto Mankhurd for NSDF’s Fifth AnnualConvention, Oct. 1 to 3. There were 20,000participants from Mumbai alone. More
than 400 delegates came from 42cities in eight states ranging fromUP in the north to TamilNadu inthe south, besides 50 and moredelegates from abroad.
The two main issues on theagenda were: Electing a centralcommittee of leaders from all thefederated states, and to present
each city’s annual report of targets andoutput.
Each of the three days was packedwith discussions, including an importantinternal debate on the issue of interestduring the first day’s session. Since thesavings and credit programme began, fed-erations have been charging 1% interesta month on loans, but not distributing anyinterest on savings. When many membersquestioned this policy, the national lead-ership threw it open for nationwide discus-sion.
Three Mahila Milan leaders, SavitaSonawne from Pune, B.L. Mary from Ban-galore and Sanjukta from Orissa, chairedthe enthusiastic debate. Ultimately thepeople decided against interest distribu-tion because that money would help coveroperation costs of the MM whose func-tions went beyond savings-collectionand loan-disbursing to taking care of allaspects of community welfare.
To make sure that everyone could un-derstand all the happenings clearly, therewere simultaneous translations in Tamil,Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, English andOriya. For the international delegates whocouldn’t understand English, there weretranslations in Nepalese, Bhasa (Indone-sia), Swahili (Kenya and Uganda) andXhosa and Zulu (South Africa). Clearly apolyglot of cultures and languages, butthat’s how its always been and will be forthe NSDF…
Sab Sambhav HaiTraditionally, on the second day of the Con-vention, NSDF invites government officialsto meet the slum communities from allover the country so both may appreciateeach other’s contribution towards improv-ing the lives of the urban poor. >
For the huge turnout at the NSDF’s 5th National Convention, there was simultaneoustranslation in six Indian languages and five international ones!
,u-,l-Mh-,Q- ds ikapos jk’Vªh; vf/kos”ku esa cM+h la[;k esa vk;s yksxksa ds fy;s N% Hkkjrh; vkSj ikapvarjjkZ’Vªh; Hkk’kkvksa esa gkFkksa gkFk vuqokn py jgk Fkk!
‘C
vf[ky Hkkjrh; >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa dkvf[ky Hkkjrh; >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa dkvf[ky Hkkjrh; >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa dkvf[ky Hkkjrh; >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa dkvf[ky Hkkjrh; >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa dkC;kt ij laoknC;kt ij laoknC;kt ij laoknC;kt ij laoknC;kt ij laokn
yks eku[qknZ* bl o’kZ dk ukjk Fkk lcdks jk’V ªh; >ksaiM+iêhoklh laxBu dsvf/kos”ku esa cqykus dk vkSj vDVwcj 1 ls 3 ds chp eku[kqnZ esa gq, ,u-,l-Mh-,Q- ds ikaposaokf’kZad vf/kos”ku esa vk dj iwjs ns”k ds] lalkj ds vkSj eaqcbZ “kgj ds >ksaiM+iêhokfl;ksa us
bldk mRrj fn;kA dsoy eaqcbZ ls gh 20000 yksx vk;sA mRrj izns”k ls ys dj rkfeyukM ds chpvkB jkT;ksa ds 42 “kgjksa ls 400 izfrfuf/k vk;sA fons”kksa ls Hkh 50 ls vf/kd izfrfuf/k vk;sA
ckrphr ds nks izeq[k eqn~ns FksA lHkh laxfBr jkT;ksa esa ls fey dj usrkvksa dh dsUnzh; lfefrdk pquko vkSj gj “kgj ds y{;ksa vkSj dke ds ckjs esa okf’kZd fjikVZA rhuksa fnuksa esa lsgj fnu gh [kwc ckrphr gqbZA igys fnu ds l= esa C;kt ds ekeys ij gqbZ vkarfjdppkZ cgqr egRoiw.kZ FkhA tc ls cpr vkSj _.k dk dk;ZØe “kq: gqvk gS] laxBu _.kij ,d izfr”kr izfr ekg dh nj ls C;kt ysrk gS ij cpr ij dskbZ C;kt ugh nsrkAtc dbZ lnL;ksa us bl uhfr ij iz”u mBk;k rks usrkvksa us bls ppkZ ds fy;s lkeusdj fn;kA
> This year the Chief Guests wereMaharashtra Director General of PoliceK.K. Kashyap and Mumbai Police Com-missioner of Police Anami Roy. Two verysenior officials – ex-Chief Secretary ofMaharashtra D.M Sukhtankar and ex-Director General of the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau S.S.Puri – were alsopresent.
In a speech that touched everyone withits commitment and passion, Mr. Roy, whopioneered the community policing schemein Pune and is now a committed supporterof the Alliance, said it was critical for thepoor and the police to begin to changetheir stereotypes about each other andwork together. “Why should the poor al-ways be blamed for crimes they have notcommitted simply because they are poor?I want to work for a situation where a poorman or woman is not frightened before he/she enters a police station. Wherein theyknow they will get justice.”
Mr. Kashyap promised to support theNSDF as well as the police force in set-ting up similar Police Sahayak schemesthroughout Maharashtra State.
Of all the events in the National Con-vention, this is the most special – for thereare no other events or platforms wherethe poor and city officials come togetherin this manner. Indeed, the very airseemed to vibrate as federations fromacross the country and world, visitors, of-ficials – all recognized the power of astrong and organized collective. SabSambhav Hai! (Everything is possible)was the slogan ringing in all hearts.
Jh d”;i us oknk fd;k dh os ,u-,l-Mh-,Q- vkSj iqfyl dk egkjk’Vª jkT; esa ,slh vU; iqfyllgk;d ;kstuk,sa ykxw djus esa leFkZu nsaxsA
jk’Vªh; vf/kos”ku ds lHkh dk;ZØeksa esa ls ;g lcls fof”k’V gS D;kas fd vkSj dksbZ Hkh dk;ZØe;k eap ugha gS tgka xjhc vkSj ukxjh vf/kdkjh bl rjg fey dj vkrs gSaA OkkLro esa ogka dh gokrd esa LQwfrZ FkhA tc ns”k ds laxBu] izoklh vkSj vQlj fey dj “kfDr”kkyh vkSj laxfBr leqnk;dh rkdr dks igpku jgs Fks lHkh ds fnyksa esa ukjk xwat jgk Fkk & lc laHko gS!
June 2005 Citywatch:India 43
How Did You Do It?VISIT to Lallobhai Compoundon the third day proved highlymemorable for delegates. Here,
assisted by NSDF, 10,000 families fromslum and pavement settlements aroundBombay who have been affected by theMumbai Urban Transport and Mumbai Ur-ban Infrastructure Projects (MUTP,MUIP) are being resettled.
Ten thousand new, freshly paintedflats, shining in the afternoon sun wasan awesome sight indeed. Besides, therewas the imposing commercial complexfor hundreds of shopkeepers People ea-gerly flocked through the flats, steppingout only to admire the layout of openspaces and corridors, then accostingJockin with questions, ‘How did you doit?’ ‘Who’s building the houses?’ ‘Wheredo you get the money?’
Jockin explained slum dwellers’ rightsto alternate accommodation under theSRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority)Scheme and NSDF strategies to preparepeople for resettlement. His messagewas direct, “You don’t need to opposedevelopment projects because betterroads, railways and airports make thecity more efficient. At the same time, itis critical to recognize that the successof these projects is rooted in the partici-pation of the very people it affects. Inshort, the poor must be involved indesigning solutions that work for theproject, the city, and the poor.”
Left, Ugandan officials werekeen to understand how re-settlement proceeded.Below, 10,000 houses were builtat Lallobhai Compound inMankhurd for families affectedby MUTP and MUIP projects.
HE subcontract for the construc-tion of Bharat Janata tenements(at Dharavi in Mumbai) has been
given to a company set up by three com-munity contractors – Muthu, Shanmu-ganand and Usman. Both Muthu andShanmuganand have supervised theconstruction of five buildings in theneighbouring Rajiv Indira society andalso built several community toilets.Confident that they now have the skillsto manage a large project, they appliedto the committee of Nirman (SSNS) andthe Bharat Janata Cooperative Societyfor its construction contract – and got it.
They are part of a new and expand-ing tribe of community leaders who aretaking on construction all over the coun-try. A pair of Mahila Milan leaders –Meena Ramani and Lizbeth Naidu –have together built six community toi-lets at various sites across Mumbai andhave recently completed a 40-seater toi-let block in Hyderabad (AP).
Then there’s Rehmat Sheikh, a vet-eran Mahila Milan leader who’s becomefamous throughout the Federation forher many construction contracts. Shehires older boys from Sadak Chaap (thestreet children’s federation) as herlabourers and has built ‘5 star’ toilets allover the city. Right now, she’s in themidst of completing the construction ofa three-storey apartment building inPune.
The way the community contractorshave gone about building their own ex-perience is like this: First, assist on theconstruction of a community toilet, useall the knowhow gained there to take onthe next toilet contract single-handedly– only then graduate to larger housingprojects.
Since many of the communitycontractors need initial start-up capital,the Alliance provides both technical andmonetary support for community con-tractors to become financially indepen-dent.
leqnk; Bsdsnkjksa us ns’k Hkj esaleqnk; Bsdsnkjksa us ns’k Hkj esaleqnk; Bsdsnkjksa us ns’k Hkj esaleqnk; Bsdsnkjksa us ns’k Hkj esaleqnk; Bsdsnkjksa us ns’k Hkj esadke fy;kdke fy;kdke fy;kdke fy;kdke fy;k
leqnk; Bsdsnkjkas us viuk vuqHko bl rjg ls c<+k;k gS & igys lkeqnkf;d “kkSpky; ds fuekZ.keas lgk;d cuksA ogka ls lh[ks gq, lkjs dke dh tkudkjh ls vxyk “kkSpky; Bsdk vdsys yks vkSjmlds ckn gh cM+h vkokl ifj;kstuk,as gkFk esa yksA D;kasfd dbZ leqnk; Bsdsnkjksa dks izkjafHkd foRrdh t:jr gksrh gS] xBca/ku leqnk;Bsdsnkjksa dks rduhdh vkSj foRrh; lgkjknsrk gS ftlls os vkfFkZd :i ls Lora=gks dj dke dj ldsaA
Sense & IncenseOLAR GOLD FIELDSused to be a miningtown, but now almost
all its residents travel toneighbouring Bangalore forwork. In an innovative effort to support small-scale livelihood activities withinKGF, the Federation initiated the Agarbatti (or incense sticks) Fund. Although anumber of people, particularly women, wanted to be involved in this home-basedincome-generating activity, they could not afford the start-up capital required tobuy the wooden stand with which sticks are rolled.
The Federation came to the rescue – using community labour they got thestands made cheaper, then loaned members the money to buy the stands… Notonly are many more agarbattis being rolled now, the working women are on a rolltoo!!
T
K
eqa
June 2005 Citywatch:India 45
Developing the NextLine of Leaders
HROUGH regular exchanges,older and more mature Federationleaders identify and mentor
emerging settlement- level and cityleaders to tackle increasingly complexissues. They also make sure thatwomen’s participation is encouraged andnurtured.
For the past two decades or so, theNSDF has found this organic and infor-mal method the fastest and most effi-cient way to transfer knowledge,experience and strategies from one gen-eration of leaders to the next.
However, the last few years, withincreasing demands from local and glo-bal communities to scale up activities,NSDF has begun to formalise its struc-tures. Regional committees were firmedup at NSDF’s National Convention ’04with city leaders voting two leaderseach from their area. In all, 70 leaders,the majority of who were women, wereappointed.
Two months later, a national commit-tee – comprising five leaders, three fromMahila Milan and two federation leaders– was elected. Regional committees willmeet monthly, and the national commit-tee, every few months.
A. Jockin, visionary of the movement,continues to advise federations, at thesame time encouraging them to takemore decisions independently. Whereashe continues to constantly innovate andbroker large scale city and state-leveldeals, he is consciously spending moretime strengthening SDI and getting in-volved in international policy-making andadvocacy on urban poverty.
HEN Mohan Sundaram and a teamof the Pondicherry Slum DwellersFederation visited Kanchipuram in
August 2004, it was an important mile-stone for the PSDF. AlthoughPondicherry has taken care offederations in neighbouringKaraikal and Cuddalore, thiswas their first independent visitto a city with the explicit pur-pose of guiding a younger fed-eration. It revealed theconfidence the Tamil Nadu andNational Federations had in theseleaders.
In Maharashtra, Pimpri has alsoemerged as a confident regionalleader, capable of mentoring newerfeds. They have regular exchangeswith communities from Sangli,Ahmednagar and Nasik to help thembuild their Mahila Milans, strengthentheir savings systems, and gradu-ally introduce them to key federa-tion tools.
This ever expanding cadre ofcommunity leaders is the corner-stone of the federation process, withmore experienced leaders guidingnew ones who bring in fresh ideas,energy and drive.
If it’s Good Enoughfor Officers...
HEN Dr. Srivastava from Delhi’sCentre for the Study of DevelopingSocieties (CSDS) visited Orissa
in June to evaluate the Alliance’s work onbehalf of funding agency Sida, he was vis-ibly impressed by the Mahila Milan lead-ers and their work. He was also keen onfinding out on what it meant to the womento be part of a large collective.
Naturally, one of the main issues thatcame up in this connection was that ofdomestic violence. Not an easy topic todiscuss, but some MMs spoke forthrightlyof the ways they coped. “Because I amconnected to this organization, I have theconfidence to deal with issues in my home,”said one woman. “If I can talk to a bigofficer like you, I naturally have the confi-dence to talk back to my husband andmother-in-law at home!” said another.
A highly repeatable story comes fromRasulgarh, where the Alliance’s first hous-ing construction project in Orissa is un-derway. Nearly all the men in thesettlement get drunk regularly, and a largeproportion of them beat their wives. >
Pimpri MM leaders and socialworker Pushpa Shankar dis-cuss plans for Pimpri Federa-tion for the coming year.
dk ljy fo’k; ugha gSA ij dqN efgyk feyu efgykvksa us bldk lkeuk djus ds ckjs esa [kqydj ckr dhA ^D;kas fd eSa bl laxBu ls tqM+h gwa] eq>eas vius ?kj esa gksus okys eqíkas ls fuiVus dkvkRefo”okl gS]^^ ,d efgyk us dgkA ^^;fn eSa vki tSls cM+s vQlj ls ckr dj ldrh gwa] rksLoHkkfod gS] eaS ?kj eas vius ifr vkSj lkl dks tokc ns ldrh gwa]** nwljh us dgkA
jlwyx<+ ls cM+h jkspd dgkuh vk;h gS A ;gka mM+hlk eas xBca/ku dh igyh vkokl ;kstukpkyw gSA cLrh ds yxHkx lkjs iq#’k fu;fer #i ls u”ks esa /kqRr gks tkrs gaS vkSj muesa ls dkQhviuh ifRu;ksa dks ihVrs gSaA ij tc ,d efgyk feyu usrk ds ifr us xqV dh cpr pqjk dj “kjkcij mM+k nh] rks efgykvksa us dqN djus dk fu”p; fd;kA
vxyh jkr tc oks vkneh ges”kk dh rjg /kqRr ?kj vk;k] mldk lkeuk gqvk xqLls esa Hkjhefgykvksa lsA mUgkasus te ds mldh fiVkbZ dh vkSj fQj xys es “keZukd iÍh yVdk ds mls iwjhcLrh eas ?kqek;kA mUgkasus oknk fd;k fd gj ckj oks ih dj vk;sxk rks blh rjg ls csbTtr djsaxhA
mlus ihuk rks ugh NksMk ij fQj ls dksbZ leL;k iSnk ugha dhA gkykafd xqV dks viuh cpr fQjls djuh iMh] bl vuqHko us lkFk dke djus ds muds fu”p; dks vkSj Hkh iDdk dj fn;kA >
W t
fnW
NksVs laxBuksa es mHkjs usrkc eksgu lqanje vkSj ikSaMhpsjh >kasiM+iÍhoklh laxBu dk ,d ny vxLr 2004 eas dkaphiqjex;k rks ;g ih-,l-Mh-,Q- ds fy;s ,d egRoiw.kZ ?kVuk FkhA gkykafd ikSaMhpsjh iM+kslhdjbdy vkSj dMywj ds laxBukas dk /;ku j[krk gS ] fdlh nwljs “kgj esa ¼vius ls NksVs
> But when the husband of one of theMM leaders stole the group’s savings andspent it on alcohol, the women decided totake action.
Next night, when the man returnedhome, drunk as usual, he was confrontedby a group of very angry women. Theygave him a sound beating, then paradedhim through the colony, wearing an em-barrassing sign around his neck. Andpromised to publicly humiliate him in thismanner each time he returned drunk.
...He didn’t stop drinking but did notcreate a problem again. Although the grouphad to start collecting savings fromscratch, the experience strengthened theircommitment to work together.
“It’s like rice,” mused a MM leader, re-ferring to how members gradually gainconfidence in themselves, “when you putit on the fire, it doesn’t immediately getcooked. You have to wait a little whilebefore the water starts boiling.”
A ‘Power-full’Connection
HEN the MM leader from a slum inBhubaneshwar went to her localcorporator to ask for electricity con-
nections, she was turned away. The poli-tician wasn’t interested in entertaining thispoor illiterate woman who did not seem inthe least bit useful to him.
But she didn’t give up. Together with agroup of women from her community, shewent straight to the mayor. “You recentlywent to Mumbai and Pune to look at thehousing and toilet projects there, right?”she asked, “and I heard you were reallyexcited.” The mayor agreed. “Well, I be-long to that same Federation and MahilaMilan in Mumbai and we need electricityconnections here. Can you help us?” Themayor immediately called the corporatorand asked him to fix up a meeting.
Surprised by the call from the mayorhimself, the corporator invited the MMleader to his house the next evening. Shewas furious. After all, everyone knows nowoman would go alone to a strange man’shouse late in the evening! Instead, nextmorning, together with another 10 womenfrom her slum, she showed up unan-nounced at the corporator’s door.
He was shocked, but greeted themrespectfully and invited them to havebreakfast. “I didn’t know you knew themayor!,” he said. “Why did you need to goto him to ask for electricity? I was goingto give it to you!” Of course, everyone wasgrateful to the Mahila Milan leaders whenthe slum got electricity…
The moral is : Communities, even ifthey are organised, initially need the helpof large people’s movements to accessresources due to the poor.
WMM leaders from Cuttack (Orissa). Said one veteran, “Members gradually gain confidence inthemselves. It’s like rice, it doesn’t get cooked immediately... the water has to boil.”
dVd ¼mM+hlk½ dh efgyk feyu usrkA iqjkuh lnL;k us dgk] ^^lnL;ksa dks /khjs /khjs vius Åij vkRefo”okl gkstkrk gSA
;
> ^^;s pkoy ds tSls gS**] ,d efgyk usrk us crk;k fd fdl izdkj lnL;ksa dk vkRefo”okl /khjs/khjs c<+rk gSA ^^tc vki mUgsa vkx ij p<+krs gaS rks oks ,dne ls ugha idrsA vki dks FkksMh nsjbartkj djuk iMrk gSA**
CITYWATCH is a publication of SPARC-Mahila Milan-NSDF. Photos taken by: SPARC-MM-NSDF members, Homeless International Staff and AndreaHagn, Aaron Wegman Leo P. Edited by: Rani Day Burra (Consulting Editor) and SPARC team; Designed by: Sanat Surti, Avadhut Parsekar;Processed by Samir Scantech; and Printed by Shree Graphics, Mumbai.