Chavan calls on fasting Medha Patkar

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan called on social activist Medha Patkar, who is fasting over Mumbai slum projects, to discuss the issue late Thursday night.

As her fast entered the seventh day on Friday, Patkar demanded removal of Clause 3K of the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act.

She said builder Shivalik Ventures is ?cheating? 26,000 families at the 140-actre Golibar slum (the second largest in Mumbai) in the name of redevelopment.

She demanded that an independent panel should look into the Golibar slum project.

She said there should be immediate cancellation of the Golibar project and also similar ones under Clause 3K of the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act.

”Not only all the projects under 3K, but also the Clause itself should immediately be cancelled. In case of Shivalik, the fraud is obvious,” said Patkar.

Pertinently, under the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, Clause 3K allows promoters to redevelop big slums without consent of the dwellers.

Members of National Association of Peoples’ Movement (NAPM), social activists Anna Hazare and Swami Agnivesh are supporting Patkar?s cause.

The Maharashtra government approved the land for redevelopment by Shivalik Ventures in 2008.

Shivalik Ventures is partly owned by Unitech that is allegedly linked to the 2G spectrum allocation scam.