BMP told to provide facilities in slum

BMP told to provide facilities in slum

The Hindu

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to complete by the year end, work on providing basic facilities to slum-dwellers of Ragigudda in J.P. Nagar.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nauvdip Kumar Sodhi and Justice N. Kumar passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition by A. Krishnappa and others seeking shifting of the slum.

The petitioners said the authorities had not taken any action on shifting the slum at the junction of 8th Main and 9th Cross, J.P. Nagar 2nd Phase. They said the slum had come up on a civic amenity site and that it comprised 1,200 huts with a population of 7,600. The Bench had earlier taken exception to the lack of civic amenities in the slum and directed the authorities to come up with a project to provide basic amenities.

When the matter came up, the BMP filed a status report saying that Rs. 30 lakhs had been earmarked to provide basic facilities to the slum dwellers. It said 700 toilets will be built.

The Karnataka State Slum Clearance Board said it needed Rs. 20 cores to shift the slum and accused the State Government of not providing money.