'No choice but to live on edge' is not choice, say slum dwellers

MUMBAI:The landslide tragedy at Lal Bahadur Shastri Nagar on Thursday night is thethird in the area in the past decade. The last landslide on July 26, 2005, whenMumbai was flooded, happened just 50 metres away and claimed 83lives.Although the immediate trigger this time was Thursday night'sheavy rains, about 144 mm overnight, initial investigations hinted thatinadequate sewerage and drainage systems over the mountain top had weakened thesoil. "Worse, there was no proper outlet for water on the mountain top, ashouses were built on it. This weakened the soil over the years,'' said suburbancollector Vishwas Patil.The landslide happened at 11.36 pm and theboulders fell 40 feet, flattening 10 hutments.Local MLA Naseem Khansaid that a retaining wall could not be constructed. "According to theguidelines, a retaining wall can be only nine metres tall but since the hill wasway above this height, no wall could have prevented this mishap,'' hesaid.LBS Nagar houses several migrants and unskilled labourers whohave made the mountainside their home over the years. A streak of lightningwhich was instantly followed by the landslide sounded their death knell. Theboulders came rolling down and covered an area of 50 x 100ft.According to eye-witnesses, the fire brigade appeared quicklyenough but was unable to manoeuvre its way through the narrow bylanes of thearea. "The rescue operations had to be carried out manually because there was nospace for JCBs or dumpers to make their way,'' said civic chief Jairaj Phatak.Of the 10 people dead, three were men, three women, two boys and two girls.Civic officials said that notices were served to those who were inthe danger zone before the monsoon-as they are every year. "But slum dwellersare reluctant to move. They continue to stay there, ignoring the gravity of thesituation,'' said assistant civic commissioner N R Barde.The slumdwellers said they stayed not out of choice but necessity. "Why would we want tostick our necks out and be exposed to danger if we had a choice? We wouldhappily go if we were given temporary transit accommodation," said HJamshed.