Mumbai: Social activist Medha Patkar's fast over Maharashtra government's decision to hand over 140 acres of land to a private builder entered eighth day on Friday, even as Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan called her on Thursday night over the issue.
Patkar has been demanding the removal of clause 3K, which allows the government to take over land without seeking the consent of slum dwellers.
The social activist is demanding that an independent panel be formed to look into the government's decision to sell off the land on which Golibar slum had come up in Mumbai.
Members of National Association of Peoples' Movement and Minister of State for Housing, Sachin Ahir along with few more government officials have failed to come to a common consensus.
Despite being asked by the authorities to break her fast, Medha continues fasting.
Protesters believe that unless an independent inquiry committee over the 140 acres land issue is constituted, no solution can be found.
Sources have told CNN-IBN that Patkar held discussions with Maharashtra chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad for five hours on Wednesday the but talks remained inconclusive.
They also say that Gaikwad came close to accepting one of Patkar's demands that 19 settlements in Mumbai be declared as slums under the existing law of Maharashtra Slum Areas Act 1971.
She also wants implementation of Rajiv Awas Yojana in Mumbai. The formation of a subcommittee to look into irregularities was also discussed.
Patkar launched her indefinite hunger strike on May 20 and it entered its seventh day on Thursday
Few weeks back Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had scrapped two controversial Slum Rehabilitation Authority projects cleared under Clause 3K on Ashok Chavan's last day as Maharashtra chief minister.
Social activists Anna Hazare and Swami Agnivesh have expressed their solidarity with Patkar.
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