Slum dwellers oppose eviction drive in Kalaburagi

Slum dwellers in Kalaburagi protest eviction drive by Food and Civil Supplies Department, demanding housing and basic amenities.

The Slum Janandolana Karnataka and slum dwellers of Ram Nagar locality strongly objected to the eviction drive taken up by the Food and Civil Supplies Department at the slum cluster in Kalaburagi on Saturday.

As many as 42 families consisting of 220 members are residing in makeshift huts in an open land of 5 acres said to be owned by the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

On Saturday morning, the department officials came with an earthmover and tried to raze the temporary structures down.

However, they only removed the bushes and garbage from the area, without touching any huts.

“The slum dwellers have been living there for over 40 years and they have all documents, including Aadhaar card, voter card and ration card. The district authorities should allot houses for them,” district coordinator of Slum Janandolana Renuka Saradgi said.

The eviction drive at the slum cluster came after a recent survey conducted by the Slum Development Board for reaching housing schemes and providing basic amenities to slum dwellers.

She said that the authorities have failed to protect the interest of slum dwellers. “We have observed a pattern that the authorities take up eviction drives in slum areas without prior notice. This particular area has been home to these families for over four decades, with three generations living there. They make a living by selling plastic pots,” she said.