In January 2004, the Tourism Ministry of the Government of India announced its
plan of developing a 100 acre strip of land on the banks of Yamuna into a riverside
promenade, to be marketed as a major tourist attraction in the lead up to the
commonwealth Games. In February and April 2004, homes and community
buildings in the area were razed to the ground leaving thousands of people homeless.
These evicted families were relocated to Bawana on the margins of the city which
has eroded their rights and undermined the livelihoods of several, leaving them in a
state of permanent poverty and facing innumerable struggles to live with dignity in
the face of assaults on their identity.
(Excerpt taken from Swept off the Map-Surviving
Eviction and Resettlement in Delhi)
LOCATION OF BAWANA
Public hearing
Keeping in view the problems faced by
Bawana, Jagori Mahila Adhikar
Nigrani Samiti organised a Public
Hearing (Jan Baithak) on 6
September, 2007 on the problem of
security in particular the security of
women.
Panel Members
Sagarpreet Hooda, DCP, Outer Delhi
Jeetendra Kumar,Inspector, Narela
Police Station
Issues raised
Rules of registering a
F.I.R
The parameters in which
police can arrest a person
Rights of
the
accused
Role of
police in
response
to the
domestic
violence
acts
If a complaint is
not taken up by
the police, whom
to contact
Testimonies
One of the residents of Bawana stated that when she had
gone to complain in the police station after a fight with her
neighbours, the police did not co-operate with her. They
were not ready to listen to what she said and misbehaved.
She asked the panelists that to whom she should approach
if Police is not ready to help?
Another woman told how she was asked to bribe , by the
police officials when she went to take his brother from the
jail. She still doesnt know why he was arrested and why
she had to bribe them?
The police even showed negligence when a woman had
approached them to save her from domestic violence. She
asked who can help her in such situation?