According to Vaithy, ``When we appraised the CM about the number of people who would be dishoused, he agreed that it would be wrong to take such a decision since the rains have already begun.'' The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had decided to forcefully evict 550 residents of the buildings - among 500 structures designated by the corporation in Wagle Estate as dangerous - by May 17. Following the expiry of the notice period, the TMC had asked the Wagle Estate police to evict theresidents.

Today, the TMC administration reacted with shock to what some senior officials termed `misplaced sympathy'. ``What will the CM have to say if any of these buildings collapses, leading to a loss of lives like in the case of Sairaj or Pradeep Smriti?'' wondered an official. Added a senior official, ``How is it that party differences vanish every time the issue of illegal buildings or their residents comes up? Since almost all the corporators have connections with some illegal structure or the other, they are under pressure from the residents.''

The official also wondered if the politicans and corporators would be willing to shoulder the responsibility in the event of a building crash. TMC commissioner T S Chandrashekhar is away in Delhi for meetings on the proposed ring rail project in Thane, and could not be reached for comment. The TMC's General Body will meet on May 20, and this issue will be discussed then.