Director’s Email Amidst Imminent Demolition at Dhobighat

Hamara Manch, 14th March 2025

We welcome the Director’s 10th March email to the community on the ongoing dhobighat impasse which has concerned so many of us. This is the first time in all these months that the administration has attempted to address the concerns raised by the community and yet it has fallen well short of alleviating the apprehensions. As the demolition at dhobighat, resulting in the eviction of dhobis, is scheduled to happen any time now, here is an update from HM.

·      Dhobis have responded to the Director’s email though it never reached them formally. They have countered the allegations of instigation, emphasising that appeals to the community for support is their only recourse in the face of imminent loss of livelihood. They have also answered questions about their water usage and other issues raised in the email. Their response in original and English translation is available here.

·      As prime users of the dhobi service, students have strongly objected to the allegations of being misinformed/ instigated, questioned the claims about unsustainability of dhobi work, and most importantly, raised serious concerns about the administration not being willing to listen to their concerns. Their detailed response can be read here.

·      A concerned group of alumni across batches have raised similar concerns about lack of dialogue by the administration with a more detailed response on the sustainability of dhobi work, and have added aspects of electricity usage, carbon footprint and even microplastics involved in the use of washing machines. Their response can be read here.

·      On 10th evening, the eve of the earlier scheduled demolition at dhobighat on the 11th, several hundred concerned members of the community met and expressed their solidarity with the dhobis. Meanwhile in preparation perhaps for the scheduled demolition, dhobighat was surrounded with CCTV cameras while the green cover was cleared. Women dhobis raised serious concerns about their privacy given that they need to bathe in the open and use the green cover to relieve themselves in the absence of any washrooms. More than a hundred women students decided to take their concerns to the gender cell. By 12th the cameras had been removed.

As we have been saying since the beginning, we need a reasoned and transparent debate on the issue and a decision based on evidence and dialogue, not pre-decided alternatives proposed without consultation with the stakeholders. Given the overwhelming support of the community for the dhobis and many different views related to the essential service they provide, the immediate need is a systematic dialogue involving all concerned and not some hasty irreversible decision. As we understand the dhobis are willing to listen, the concerned community is keen to help, hence we appeal to the administration to take this spirit of feedback and dialogue further to reach an amicable resolution.

PS: Read the Director's mail here.