After extending legal cover to all slums that came up prior to January 1, 2000, the Congress-led Democratic Front government has now legitimised occupants of protected slum homes till 2013.

In a notification issued by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan-led Urban Development (UD) department on March 3, the government has said “it intends to rehabilitate slum-dwellers who have been residing continuously for at least one year in protected slum structures.”

Gujarat high court has issued notices to state's urban development and housing department and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) over a PIL objecting to slum demolition at Ranip area.

Despite Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken’s plea to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for stopping the demolition of the houses of slum-dwellers, 43 houses were pulled down at the Golibar slum here on Wednesday, under the supervision of the Collector’s office.

The activists of the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) have alleged that Shivalik Ventures, which develops the prime property of 125 acres called Golibar, carried out the demolition in connivance with government officials.

The decision to evict 445 families from the slum area in Sandhakuda here without any rehabilitation proposal for construction of sea surge protection wall and laying of pipeline for the oil refinery project of IOC has triggered tension in the area.

Sources said the State Government had given 266 acres in Sandhakuda area to Paradip Port Trust (PPT) authorities on lease but the PPT is yet to acq