GBA demolishes slum homes to reclaim five acres near Yelahanka
BENGALURU: The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) on Saturday demolished slum homes at Fakeer Colony and Wasim Layout at Kogilu in Yelahanka to reclaim five acres of government land. Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) officials, along with police and marshals used JCB machines to pull down the homes. The action by the civic agency, however, led to a volatile situation as human rights activists joined in condemning the act, as 300 families were rendered homeless. According to Manohar Elavarthi, from Dhudiyuva Janara Vedike, no notices were given by authorities as a result, the poor and downtrodden who have been living for many year rendered homeless. Had the authorities given notices, we would have stopped the eviction. Now almost all our homes have been reduced to rubble. They have to brace the cold and guard their belongings. Tonight, they may manage as most of the belongings are assembled near a government school, but tomorrow, dont know where they will go, said Elavarthi. The JCB started removing the slum homes as early as 9 am on Saturday, and by 5 pm the entire area was bulldozed. Most vulnerable here are fakeers. They seek alms, sing near dargahs, and return to their sheds by evening. They are now on the streets, said Elavarthi. Cursing the authorities for their action, Munni, a resident, said, I have been living in the slum colony for the last 25 years, and now all of a sudden, authorities, along with police, have come and razed the structures. Here, over 300 families live, and all are homeless now. Justifying the action, a senior official from BSWML said the land measuring around 30 acres was transferred to erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by the revenue department. The civic body had already taken possession of 9 acres. On Saturday, 5 acres of encroached land were reclaimed. The market value of encroached land is around Rs 80 crores here, he said and added the GBA will ensure processing around 150 tonnes of wet waste in 10 acres of land. The official added that the land was meant for a bio-gas plant, animal incinerator facility, sanitary waste processing facility and coconut rendering, and byproducts from the tender coconut shells will be extracted once the plant is established here. Reclaiming authority 160 sheds built on encroached land 9 Tractors and 9 JCB machines deployed to raze and remove debris 70 GBA Marshalls and 200 police personnel deployed
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