DH News Service

Goa govt's eviction of sex workers to be challenged in SC

Mrs Giri was speaking after inaugurating a workshop organised by the Goa State Women's Commission on the "Prevention of violence against women" here on Sunday. She asserted that the government had no right to evict the 670-odd residents of Baina, most of them immigrants from the southern states, when they were issued electricity and water supply bills and possessed house tax receipts and other government documents to prove their bona fides. Some of the residents have been in the area for the past four decades.

Decrying the excesses in police harassment meted out to both locals and tourists visiting the area, Mrs Giri said the commission's aim was to protect the dignity and honour of women and called for a humane approach in tackling issues like the rehabilitation of sex workers or the payment of compensation for the houses built on this 0.09 square kilometre of land, owned partly by the government and by the Mormugao municipality.

Activists here have condemned the evictions. A fact-finding report brought out for the women's collective, Bailancho Saad, by a team of human rights and social activists led by Supreme Court advocate, Nandita Haksar, has stated that the evictions are being carried out so that the government may get back its land and then lease it out for commercial purposes.

The evictions are not confined to the trafficking zones as nearby slums have also been demolished. The evictions were stayed by the National Human Rights Commission in July last and a show cause notice has been issued to the state administration. Despite this, police intimidation, harassment and raids continue.

The report charged that under the guise of controlling Aids, cleaning up the area of criminals and particularly prostitutes and making the beach accessible to the people of Baina, the government was actually removing the 'encroachers' so as to facilitate the development and expansion of Mormugao port. The port trust has already appointed international consultants, M/s Frederic and Harris, to work out a master plan to meet the needs of growing traffic.

The Saad report has demanded a stop to the intimidation and arrests of of the sex workers and police patrolling in Baina. It has called for the initiation of a "democratic consultation process" with Baina residents, non-governmental organisations and MPT officials, for a just and humane solution to the problem.

A detailed policy statement on the government's plans for land use in the next two decades, with a provision for housing for the urban poor and legal protection to slum dwellers has also been sought.