Over 100 families of migrant workers staying in a colony at Thubarahalli in Varthur staged a protest on Thursday against what they alleged were forcible evictions by the authorities.
The labourers termed the eviction as illegal and accused the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the police of disconnecting the power and water connections and giving a deadline for eviction from the colony where they have been living for the last 20 years.
The protest was staged following an FIR filed by the Varthur police against Lokesh Reddy, owner of the land, for giving his land on rent to the migrant labourers.
The police booked Reddy under Karnataka Open Place Disfigurement Act and under Section 270 (likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), Section 278 (Making atmosphere noxious to health.), and Section 268 (Public nuisance) against him, based on a complaint filed by Mamatha M.S., Assistant Executive Engineer, Mahadevapura Zone, BBMP on Monday.
In her complaint, Mamatha accused Reddy of allowing unscientific disposal of garbage on his land in Balagere road, not only polluting the atmosphere, but also chocking the storm water drain causing flood in the area during rainy season.
The police summoned Reddy and warned him to vacate the colony within four days. Power connection to the colony was also disconnected as a measure to warn them.
Taking objection, the migrant labourers staged a dharna and submitted a memorandum to the BBMP office requesting the authorities not to harass them.
“We are living in the colony, paying rent and helping the BBMP in waste disposal. Besides, there are several people who are working as drivers for school vans in the area and women working as domestic help at apartments in and around for many years. We are law-abiding citizens and even helped the civic agencies during the pandemic. We even donated our blood to many hospitals. That time, the agencies and the police appreciated us for the contribution, but now, they want us to vacate the houses and are threatening to bulldoze our huts. Where should we go with the children and aged people?,” asked the protestors.
Another protestor added, “We faced a similar problem two years ago, but the Court ruled in our favour and asked the government not to carry out any eviction drive. But the agencies are again harassing us and violating the Court order.”
“If they find anyone polluting the area, the BBMP should create awareness and even penalise people instead carrying out eviction drive and displacing poor people,“ Riyazuddin, a driver and resident of the colony said.
The Varthur police dismissed allegations of forced eviction . “We have registered a case against the landlord based on the complaint by the BBMP officials and questioned him as per the law. We have not asked anyone to evict and its not in our perview,“ a police officer said.
