The Delhi Assembly passed a Bill to amend the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) Act, facilitating rehabilitation of slum dwellers, on the opening day of the Budget session on Tuesday. Two other Bills pertaining to education and disqualification of members were also passed in the House.
The DUSIB Amendment Bill, tabled in the Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and passed by a voice vote, will pave the way for rehabilitation of residents of slum colonies that came up in the Capital between March 31, 2002, and January 2, 2006.
Introducing the Bill, he said though all parties made “tall promises” to slum dwellers before every election, nothing tangible had happened. He affirmed that the government would not let jhuggis be demolished in Delhi.
“I want to ask why have successive governments neglected slum residents till now? And why have they been treated as second-rate citizens? They are forced to live in fear about when the police or the civic agencies concerned will turn up to destroy their homes,” said Mr. Sisodia.
