Mrs. SUJATA MANOHAR, J.:---The petitioners are pavement dwellers of Sophia Zuber Road, Nagpada, Bombay-400 008. On 3rd November, 1988 their huts along the pavement of Sophia Zuber Road and 1st Peerkhan Street were demolished by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay. The Ward Officer of 'E' Ward and the Ward Officer. Removal of Encroachments, were in charge of the demolition. It is the case of the petitioners that while demolishing their hutments the officers and workers of the Bombay Municipal Corporation also took away some of their belongings.

2. A voluntary Social Work agency known as the Society for the Promotion of Area Resources Centre (SPARC) works amongst the pavement dwellers in 'E' Wards and in some other areas of Bombay. SPARC has an allied organisation known as Mahila Milan which works Among women pavement dwellers. They help pavement dwellers in various ways such as obtaining ration cards, encouraging them to have savings and opening Savings Bank accounts for them etc. SPARC has an office in 'E' Ward at Jhula Maidan which is near Sophia Zuber Road, SPARC and Mahila Milan worked with the pavement dwellers of Sophia Zuber Road and 1st Peerkhan Street. They w