As criticism over eviction mounts, Centre says government accommodation for artistes subject to conditions

Amid criticism over eviction proceedings against eminent artistes the Centre said they had been given government accommodation for three years subject to certain conditions including a review after the time periodThe Directorate of Estates said it has asked artistes who have not moved out of the government accommodation yet to vacate by May 2 failing which eviction proceedings would resume It said there were 27 such allotments out of which 15 artistes had already vacatedThe Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had issued guidelines dated October 24 1985 for allotment of the government accommodations under eminent artistes category on the basis of a decision taken by Cabinet Committee on Accommodation CCA on September 12 1985 subject to certain conditions including that duration of allotment would be three years and cases of allotment to be reviewed once in a three years a statement by the government said on Thursday Since then allotments are being made to them and the CCA allowed their retention up to July 31 2014 it saidThereafter CCA regularised their unauthorised occupation period from August 1 2014 to September 30 2020 and further three months retention was granted up to December 31 for making alternative arrangement the ministry added However it said the artistes filed a petition in the Delhi High Court last yearThe court had on February 25 this year dismissed the application and gave them two months grace period to vacate their accommodation The ministry said as this grace period completed the Directorate of Estates started the eviction proceedings on April 25However the artistes filed a writ petition before the high court but it was dismissed on April 22 with a cost of Rs 50000 A subsequent petition was filed yet again before the high court but that too dismissed on April 27 with a cost of Rs 25000 the ministry clarifiedThe Directorate of Estates under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Wednesday evicted 90yearold Padma Shri awardee and Odissi dancer Guru Mayadhar Raut Madhurima his daughter said her father was having lunch at his governmentallotted bungalow when a team of officials came knocking on his door to evict himShe claimed that the nonagenarian was apparently not even allowed 10 minutes to finish his meal and was pushed out of the Asian Games Village accommodation hereAccording to the governments policy up to 40 artistes can be allotted accommodation under a special quota in the General Pool Residential Accommodation on the recommendation of the Ministry of Culture if they earned under Rs 20000 a monthAs part of its drive against illegal occupants the Directorate of Estates had evicted Lok Sabha member Chirag Paswan from the 12 Janpath bungalow which had been allotted to his late father Ramvilas Paswan Several BJP MPs who had been allotted bungalows when they were ministers also had to vacate the government facilitiesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever