The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Residents fear they may be thrown out

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 16, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Residents fear they may be thrown out

Staff Reporter

People living in EWS quarters to get new houses

Anxious: Residents of Koramangala EWS Quarters waiting for their turn to get identity cards, in Bangalore on Friday.

Bangalore: Even as the BBMP organised a major programme to distribute identity cards to the residents of the economically weaker section (EWS) quarters in Koramangala on Friday to enable them to be allotted new houses under JNNURM scheme, several residents expressed their apprehension that they may never be allotted a house.

The identity cards were given to residents so that there would not be confusion while allotting the new houses under the scheme once they are ready. The EWS quarters are in a dilapidated condition and have been declared not fit to live in by authorities as they may collapse any time.

“They have promised us that we would be shifted to temporary homes before demolishing the old quarters and once the new houses are built they would be allotted to us. But who knows what will happen? What is the guarantee that we will be rehabilitated under the new scheme and that the Government is not going to usurp our land?” asked Kamalamma, who irons clothes for a living and has been living there since it first came up.

“I have been living here paying rent of Rs. 500 for the last 20 years, but I have not been asked to give my photo for the identity card. I do not think I will get the card. Therefore, I am scared that I may be thrown out,” said Suguna.

Faisal, another resident, said that he was not opposed to moving out of the EWS quarters and would be happy if the residents got new houses, but he feared that the makeshift houses may not have basic amenities such as drinking water supply and toilet and sewage facilities.

Earlier, BBMP Commissioner K. Jairaj told presspersons that under JNNURM, 1,503 houses would be constructed after demolition of the EWS quarters which were not safe to live in.

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