Mysore/Mysuru: Residents of the slum in front of a Saw Mill at Medar Block in Bamboo Bazar have appealed the authorities not to evict them until all civic amenities are made available at Kesare, where houses are built for them.

Addressing a press meet here yesterday, Somashekar, a slum dweller, said that the slum area is divided between MCC Ward Nos.18 and 24. Maintaining that they have been living in the Bamboo Bazar slum for over 50 years, he said that there are over 150 families living in the area in asbestos-sheet houses. But now all of a sudden, the Karnataka Slum Development Board has decided to evict them after providing alternative houses built under JnNURM project at Kesare, he said.

Contending that the houses at Kesare lacked civic amenities, Somashekar said the Slum Board authorities evicted some families in the slum on Monday under Police security, following which MLA Nagendra was appealed to give some more time for them to vacate. Subsequently, they have been granted one week’s time, which is too little, he said and appealed the authorities to give them atleast 45 days time to move to Kesare. He also urged for providing all civic amenities at Kesare by then.

Sarvadharma Janajagruti Sangha Joint Secretary V. Ravikumar said that in the year 2000, the then Divisional Commissioner had declared that 30  guntas of land at the spot as slum area. But still the slum dwellers have been asked to move out to houses at Kesare. 

Claiming that the houses at Kesare lacked civic amenities with no metered power connection, Ravikumar said that it is not the right time for the authorities to ask us to vacate, when                                                          the city is facing a surge in COVID-19 pandemic.

Slum-dwellers Manjula, Lakshmamma, Thambi and others were present.