Karnataka - Bangalore

Developer demolishes slum

Staff Reporter

Slum dwellers were not served any notice, are now on the streets

DISPOSSESSED: Slum dwellers salvaging whatever is left after a developer demolished their dwellings at Nagashettihalli in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: At least 100 houses at Ambedkar Nagar slum in Nagashettihalli were demolished on Tuesday by a private developer.

The slum dwellers, whose houses were demolished, were not even served a prior notice asking them to vacate, Y. Rajendra, honorary secretary at Janasahyog, an organisation working for slum dwellers, told The Hindu .

People at the slum alleged that they were forced to vacate the houses as more than 30 people barged into their area and threatened them. "They gave us Rs. 10,000 and a paper saying that they have given us a house at Kogilu village in Yelahanka. But I do not want this money. I want my house. I have lived here for the past 30 years," says Narayanappa.

Bhagyamma, a widow who lives alone with her child, was in tears as she narrated her story. "I had told them that I do not want to leave this place. But the people still went ahead and demolished my house. Where will I go now?," she says pointing to the rubble that her house had been reduced to. Mr. Rajendra said the land on which these houses were situated was in the process of being declared as a slum area. "The proposal is pending before the Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Urban District. Yet the developers have gone ahead and demolished the houses," he said. The slum dwellers whose houses were demolished showed The Hindu the papers which they had received from the developers promising them alternative land elsewhere. "But that piece of paper is not in accordance with the law. It does not have the stamp of the Sub-Registrar's Office where these lands have been registered. Also it does not state the name of the developer who is acquiring the land," Mr. Rajendra added.

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