Karnataka

BBMP razes illegal sheds, 60 families evicted

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GovindarajanagarBangalore, Aug 14, 2013: More than 60 families of MRCR Layout in Govindarajanagar were in for a rude shock on Wednesday when their sheds were brought down within no time by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP) as part of a demolition drive.

Annamma, who has been living there for four years, was busy arranging the household items that she had spread out in front of her demolished home.

“The house owners had earlier assured us that we won’t be thrown out of house. For each house, Rs 2,000 was fixed as rent and Rs 10,000 as advance. And, we had been paying rent regularly. This is injustice and where are we supposed to go now,” questioned Annamma even as her grandson Manju was playing.

Over 60 Muslim and Hindu families, mainly labourers and vegetable vendors, resided in these 60-odd sheds. “The demolition was carried out following a direction from the City Civil Court. The sheds had come up on a civic amenity (CA) site. It has been encroached upon and sheds were built illegally. We have taken this step only after issuing many notices to the residents. Further, a high-tension power line runs over the CA site,” said one of the BBMP engineers who was present during the time of demolition.

“We got a notice three months ago. But, when we showed it to the house owners, they said that nothing would happen. We got to know only on Tuesday night that Palike will demolish the houses the next morning. When we questioned the house owners, they washed  their hands of the issue saying they too were helpless. Hence, my neighbours and I had shifted the household items, fearing eviction,” said Meena, another resident.
Some residents have started hunting for new homes in the locality. Many of them complained that the house owners are not refunding the advance money.

The BBMP sources said that they will fence the CA site soon and take necessary steps as per the orders of Palike Commissioner M Lakashminarayana.

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