Eviction for NICE project: 5 hurt as slum dwellers hold protest

The police resorted to mild lathi charge to control the situation. Five persons sustained minor injuries in the incident. The police took a few Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) activists into custody and released them in the evening.

According to sources, the NICE officials came to the slum at around 8.30 am and started evicting the slum dwellers saying that they would demolish their huts. The slum dwellers protested and exchanged heated words with them. The news spread and a few DSS activists rushed to the spot and joined the slum dwellers.

The protesters alleged that neither the NICE officials gave them prior notice nor made alternate arrangements.

However, the NICE officials succeeded in evicting all of them and completed demolition work by evening.

Meanwhile, the DSS activists staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. They pointed out that the slum dwellers have been staying in the area for more than 10 years. They have voter identity and ration cards.

As per norm, it is illegal to evict persons from a place where they are staying for more than 10 years, they added.

According to NICE, the government sanctioned the land in 2004 to construct the road. The slum with huts came up just three years ago. “We issued several notices to them to vacate the place, but they did not respond. Hence, we were compelled to demolish the huts,” said a NICE spokesperson Manjunath.

“The slum dwellers promised us that they would vacate the huts within three weeks, but did not vacate. They have constructed the huts on a private land which is illegal. Therefore, the question of making alternative arrangement will not arise. The road construction work will start soon,” he added.