Dr B Thomas (Special correspondent)
Over 100 families of migrant workers staying in a colony in Thoobarahalli in Varthur on Thursday staged a protest against forcibly evictions by the authorities concerned .
The labourers termed the eviction illegal and accused the BBMP and the police for disconnecting the power and water connection and giving deadline for eviction from the colony where they are 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 also 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 MS, Asst Executive Engineer,,Mahadevapura Zone BBMP on Monday.
In her complaint Mamatha accused Reddy for allowing unscientific disposal of garbage on his land Balagere road not only polluting the atmosphere but also chocking the storm water drain causing flooding in the area during rainy season.
The police summoned Reddy and warned him to vacate the colony within four days.The power connection to the colony was also disconnected as a warning .
Taking a serious objections,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 and paying rent and helping the BBMP in waste disposal.Besides there are several people who working as drivers for the school vans in the area and women works as domestic help at the apartment in and around for many years.
We are law abiding citizens and even helped the civic agencies during the corona time and even donated our blood to many hospitals.
That time the agencies and the police appreciate us for the contribution,but now wanted us to vacate the houses and threatening to bulldoze out huts,where should we go with the children and aged people,questioned the protestors.
We faced similar problem two years ago,but the court has 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,the protestors,said,If they find anyone polluting the area, the BBMP should create awareness and even penalize people instead carrying out eviction drive and displacing poor people,Riyazuddin,a driver and resident of the colony, questioned .
The Varthur police who contacted said refused the allegation of force eviction.We have registered a case against the land lord 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 .
