The slum-dwellers said that 2 men had come a day earlier to give a verbal warning about the demolition, but there was no official notice. The next day the bulldozers were used to savagely demolish the houses ignoring all pleas of mercy and without even giving them enough time to gather their belongings out and take their children to safety. After the residents protested, the police lathi-charged them and beat up everybody who was resisting the illegal demolition and ignored their cries for mercy. Soon fire broke out, and everything in the houses from personal belongings for essential daily tasks to books and even money were burned to ashes.
As if that wasn't enough, they even arrested 2 boys on charges of theft when they tried to collect their own belongings from their houses had been razed. Monsoon rain and sewer lines which run nearby added to their woes as their lives were thrown into misery. In addition to the complete devastation of houses and belongings, many people were hurt in the lathi charge to the point of being hospitalized. Even now, the fate of babies as young as 3 days old and those unborn in their mother’s wombs lies on the edge of a knife.
There has been no relief for the victims since the incident occurred and all the men women and their children have been hungry and thirsty without proper clothes to wear or a roof to protect them from the rains. If help does not reach them fast, they might find it extremely difficult to survive the harsh conditions.
We hope that you will realize the seriousness of the issue and contribute whatever little you can towards saving the poor people, and especially the small children from the misery they have been subjected to. The first priority at the moment is to ensure that food, water and old used clothes are provided to the victims. Meanwhile, we shall be trying our best bring the concerned authorities to justice and appeal to the Government to implement immediate rehabilitation procedures for the victims.
We are a small group of youngsters with few resources of our own and your support is urgently needed. If you want to get more information about the incident, and wish to help in any manner please contact us-
There has been no relief for the victims since the incident occurred and all the men women and their children have been hungry and thirsty without proper clothes to wear or a roof to protect them from the rains. If help does not reach them fast, they might find it extremely difficult to survive the harsh conditions.
We hope that you will realize the seriousness of the issue and contribute whatever little you can towards saving the poor people, and especially the small children from the misery they have been subjected to. The first priority at the moment is to ensure that food, water and old used clothes are provided to the victims. Meanwhile, we shall be trying our best bring the concerned authorities to justice and appeal to the Government to implement immediate rehabilitation procedures for the victims.
We are a small group of youngsters with few resources of our own and your support is urgently needed. If you want to get more information about the incident, and wish to help in any manner please contact us-
Himanshu-09305963744/himan.swarn@gmail.com
Abhishek- 09532656677
Gaurav- 09415005333/gshukla@sas.upenn.edu
Watch the real story as told by the people living in the slum itself-
www.weneedchange2020.blogspot.
Thank you for your patience in reading this email and your willingness to help make a difference. Please invite all your contacts to this cause urgently so that we can gather as much help as possible for those concerned.
