People for India Visakhapatnam Forum has demanded that slums should be upgraded and improved in situ as far as possible.
A delegation of the forum that submitted a copy of the resolutions passed at a recent round table meeting on the issue to Municipal Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu wanted shifting of dwellers to the nearest possible place after providing amenities and infrastructure when relocation became inevitable.
Stating that after being shifted to Bakkannapalem, slum-dwellers were facing a lot of difficulties, the delegation said the promised subsidy on bus pass was a far cry and a person had to spend about Rs.50 on commuting to work. Women had lost their livelihood.
The drainage facilities were inadequate. PDS was not made available to them. The delegation urged the Commissioner to resolve the issues.
The Commissioner assured the delegation that if the problem areas were identified remedial steps would be taken and if necessary Rs.1 crore would be spent on improving the situation.
The delegation comprised PFI Vice-Chairman B.L. Narayana, convenor B.B. Ganesh and Ramesh Naidu, N. Krishna Murthy, R.V. Rao, M. Siva Prasada Rao, A. Ramakrishna Rao, L. Demudu, B. Ravisankar and B. Venkata Rao.
