Hyderabad: A sizable number Dalit and tribal people will be among an estimated 90,000 who would become homeless by the time Amaravati, new capital of Andhra Pradesh state, comes into existence.

Similar threats of eviction confront thousands of others in the newly formed Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the name of development, says Montfort Social Institute (MSI) that has studied the possible impact of changes in these two southern Indian states.

Around 35,000 landless dalits, tribals, fisher-folk and other most vulnerable people will be rendered homeless after Amravati comes into existence within the next decade.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for Amaravati on October 22, the ‘Vijaya Dasami’ day.

MSI and its sister concerns Campaign for Housing and Tenurial Rights (CHATRI) and Human Rights Forum have proposed that the Indian government adopt a stronger human rights and social justice approach to housing and habitat issues in the country.

They made the proposals while observing the World Habitat Day on October 5. The international community marks October as ‘Zero-Eviction’ month.

In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the events were celebrated with several programs including awareness campaigns, workshops, and meetings.

The three NGOs note that India faces a national shortage of 18.78 million homes in urban areas and 40 million in rural areas. About 95 percent of the affected people are from economically weaker sections, says Montfort Brother Varghese Theckanath, Executive Director of MSI, and Convener of CHATRI.

Census 2011 reports revealed that 13.75 million households live in ‘slums.’ Forced evictions, demolitions of low income settlements, forceful land acquisition, and displacement in urban and rural areas further exacerbate poverty, inequality, and the housing deficit, the NGOs say.

Since India’s independence in 1947, about 65–70 million people have been displaced from ostensible ‘development’ projects; the majority without rehabilitation, they regret.

Brother Theckanath has several suggestions to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “commendable goal” of housing for all by 2022. For this, the government has to adopt the human rights framework of adequate housing, identify the most marginalized constituencies, set annual targets for delivery, prevent evictions and real estate speculation. It also has to develop rights-based indicators to assess progress, incorporate principles of gender equality, non-discrimination, and sustainability.

“Instead of introducing market-driven schemes, the state should work toward a national law on adequate housing for rural and urban India. In order to increase global respect and strengthen its presence on the international stage, India needs to fulfill its national and international human rights commitments,” the social activist said.

Brother Theckanath also says Telangana’s ruling party has to a similar process if it was to fulfill its promise of providing two-bed-room housing for all homeless people in the state. “It is laudable that the government in the State has launched the pilot project at IDH Colony in Hyderabad. But if it is to be realized at the state level, much more needs to be done in terms of planning and budget allocation,” he adds.

Meanwhile Andhra Pradesh government is facing growing opposition to land acquisition for the new capital. The government has announced that it was only in favor of land pooling and not acquisition.

“The government’s intention is land pooling only. Land pooling was announced on January 2 and 33,000 acres were given (by land owners) by February 28, in 58 days,” says Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, who is supervising the land pooling for the capital city.

The ruling party in Andhra Pradesh had promised to make the state ‘hutment free’ in its manifesto. “But it is regrettable that no steps have been taken in this direction. Instead, thousands of poor people are threatened with displacement,” the NGOs regret.

Amaravati is a village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, located on the banks of Krishna River. Amaravati means the town lives forever in the local language.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will share Hyderabad as a joint capital for ten years, after which Andhra Pradesh hopes to have finished building its new headquarters.