Date:30/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/30/stories/2006123022610300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Slum dwellers demand title deeds, ministry

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Nearly 250 slum dwellers from throughout the city staged a protest in front of the Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner's office demanding title deeds for their houses and a separate ministry to meet their needs.

On Friday, residents of 20 slums, including Veerabhadra Layout, Goreguntepalya, Singapura, Vijayanagar, Vinayaka Layout and Kasturamma Layout demanded a fair share in the budget allocation for slum improvement. Arul Selva of Karnataka Kolageri Nivasigala Hitharakshana Janti Kriya Samithi, addressing the protesters, said that in recent times the trend had been to evict slum dwellers from declared and undeclared slums. Mr. Ramegowda assured the protesters that a few more habitations would be declared slums and basic services provided soon. "We have given 500 acres of land to the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board to build more houses," he said.