The health of social activist Medha Patkar deteriorated considerably on the tenth day of her fast in protest against the builder-official-politician nexus in Mumbai evicting slum-dwellers undemocratically.
Ms. Patkar, along with another activist Madhuri Shivkar, started her fast after the Maharashtra government went ahead with its demolition drive, in spite of a letter from Union Housing Minister Ajay Maken urging it to stop pulling down slums in suburban Golibar.
On Friday morning, a delegation of activists and slum-dwellers held a meeting with Devashish Chakravarty, Principal Secretary, Housing, which was also attended by officers from the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). The activists said government authorities had agreed to several of the demands. However, Ms. Patkar has made it clear that she will not call off her fast unless the government agrees to the demands in writing.
“We will be meeting Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan with the assurances we have received from officers. Any decision on calling off the fast will be taken only after the meeting and its outcome,” said Sumit Wanjale from the National Alliance of People’s Movement.
Meanwhile, Ms. Patkar refused treatment despite doctors advising her to get admitted to hospital. She and other activists are demanding that work on six other SRA projects be stopped until the ongoing inquiry is completed.
