Kandivali fire incident: Probe over who owns Damu Nagar plots

After a massive fire gutted over 2,000 shanties, the state forest department has started a survey of Damu Nagar slums in Kandivali (east) to verify the real owners of the slum. However, no case has been registered by the police so far.

Slum dwellers across the 12-acre Damu Nagar plot have claimed that all relevant documents to prove that they settled in these slums before 2000 and hence, are liable to be called legal tenants, got charred in the fire.

Local Ajay Yadav (27) said, “We have all the documents to prove our legality, including our ration card and LPG cylinder connection proof, but we have lost all of them in this fire.”

“In lieu of this, we have been advised not to leave our place and some or the other member of the family is constantly guarding the site, fearing someone else will stake claim to the site.”

An official from the forest department, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The entire 12-acre plot belongs to the forest department, but has been encroached by slum dwellers.”

“They are liable to get homes for the same as they have been residing here post-2000,” he further added.

“To counter the controversy of ownership, we are carrying out a survey on the basis of data of slum dwellers that is available with us, to verify the real owners of every slum. We are verifying the number of family members and also clicking photographs of the member who owns it for our record,” the official said.

According to police officials, fire first broke out in the shanty of Mangla Gavai either due to a short circuit or gas leakage but she was out at the time of the incident.

The fire reached the neighbouring house where the knob of the cylinder was open due to which there was an immediate blast. Seeing a massive blast, locals left the dousing work and ran out of the slums.

Meanwhile, a senior fire official said, “We have been scrutinising all aspects before making the report. Statements of residents have been recorded and the report will be tabled on Wednesday.”