The Gujarat high court on Friday ordered the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to maintain an interim status quo at Dholikui where people affected by a demolition drive were staying till further hearing of the case on June 15. The order was given on a petition filed by People`s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) that had urged that the persons whose houses were demolished be allowed to stay at the location till they were provided housing facility by the civic body. PUCL moved the high court on Thursday stating that it in 2000 had ordered the VMC to provide alternative accommodation to the residents of Dholikui within six months when the civic body had had started a demolition drive. The petition states this was not done and in 2007, a government resolution was issued for providing alternative accommodation to the residents of the area. On May 12, 77 families were given allotment letters for houses and these houses and those of even others were demolished on May 25 forcing the people to live in the open. The petition has stated that the residents were forced to live in the open in summer and the monsoon was also set to arrive. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Dholikui-demolition-HC-grants-interim-stay-/articleshow/6012758.cms (4 June 2010)

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