World Habitat Day Rally, New Delhi, India
2004-10-04
Around 1000 people, including slum and pavement dwellers, and homeless persons from around the country participated in a rally in New Delhi on World Habitat Day to demand their right to adequate housing, and to protest against forced evictions.
The rally marked the culmination of a four-day event – India Habitat Campaign for Housing Rights of Slums Dwellers and Homeless, that took place from 1 – 4 October, 2004 in
New Delhi.
One of the aim’s of the conference was to put forth a joint memorandum to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to implement workable solutions for the homeless in accordance with the Common Minimum Programme.
The urban poor constitute half the city's population but reside in less than one-twentieth of the urban space and that too in pockets that are extremely marginal. Despite this fact, present policies of central, state and local bodies fail to address issues of gross inequality. Moreover, they do not incorporate long-term comprehensive workable solutions to resolve this impending habitation crisis.
The urban poor are not responsible for creating slums in cities, but slum like situations arise due to unjust and inequitable landholding. Proliferation of slums is the consequence of failed policies, bad governance, uncontrolled markets, growth of the land mafia, and misplaced priorities that ignore the housing needs of the majority of the population.
Among other demands, the groups called for:
· Reservation of 30% of land in all urban residential land-use areas (public and private) for meeting the habitat needs of all unorganised sector workers within the city limits.
· Stringent legal measures to prevent forced evictions.
· A constitutional amendment to make the 'Right to Housing' a fundamental right.
· Access to land for housing for the urban poor near their place of occupation.
· Reintroduction of the Urban Land & Ceiling Act (1976) with clear pro-poor provisions.
· Creation of a National Commission on Housing & Evictions.
· Provision of security of tenure to women and the urban poor for their housing.
A delegation also met President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and presented him with the memorandum for the right to adequate housing for all.
Read the Delhi Declaration that evolved out of the Campaign.
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