<p>Residents of Avani Sringeri Nagar, where dozens of homes were razed in the BBMP’s drive against encroachments on stormwater drains, have threatened suicide if they are not adequately compensated. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A delegation of BJP legislators and corporators visited the southeast Bengaluru locality on Monday, and residents’ anger was palpable. They demanded why their homes were targeted when big builders were spared. <br /><br />Sexagenarian S V Anantha Padmanabha, half of whose house has been razed, said he had spent all his savings on constructing it. “I took a big home loan from HDFC Bank for which I am paying an EMI of Rs 48,000. The demolition has left no room for renovation. I do not have any other property. The government should compensate me or I will end my life,” he said. <br /><br />L Josna, whose house has been razed to the ground, narrated a similar tale. “I’ve become homeless and am staying at the house of my relative but how long can I stay there?” <br /><br />Uma S Murthy, who hails from Mumbai, was lucky that she didn’t construct the house on a site she bought 20 years for Rs 1.5 lakh. She had paid an equal amount as betterment charges. “Rs 3 lakh was a big sum 20 years ago. We somehow managed to buy this property. Half of my site is gone as the BBMP has dug up a drain there,” she complained. <br /><br />Most of the residents in the locality do not have ‘A’ Khata as it is a revenue pocket. Only those who paid betterment charges got ‘A’ Khata. The BBMP apparently sanctioned the building plan without verifying the revenue record or bothering to tell the residents that a stormwater drain criss-crosses the locality. Today, the whole area resembles an earthquake zone.<br /><br /> With encroachments cleared, the BBMP is now constructing a concrete drain that will lead to demolition of more buildings in the coming days. Tears in their eyes, residents pleaded to the BJP delegation comprising MLAs R Ashoka, S Suresh Kumar, C N Ashwath Narayana, M Sathish Reddy and corporators, to bail them out of the crisis and provide an alternative. The BJP leaders was unanimous in denouncing the demolition drive. <br /></p>
<p>Residents of Avani Sringeri Nagar, where dozens of homes were razed in the BBMP’s drive against encroachments on stormwater drains, have threatened suicide if they are not adequately compensated. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A delegation of BJP legislators and corporators visited the southeast Bengaluru locality on Monday, and residents’ anger was palpable. They demanded why their homes were targeted when big builders were spared. <br /><br />Sexagenarian S V Anantha Padmanabha, half of whose house has been razed, said he had spent all his savings on constructing it. “I took a big home loan from HDFC Bank for which I am paying an EMI of Rs 48,000. The demolition has left no room for renovation. I do not have any other property. The government should compensate me or I will end my life,” he said. <br /><br />L Josna, whose house has been razed to the ground, narrated a similar tale. “I’ve become homeless and am staying at the house of my relative but how long can I stay there?” <br /><br />Uma S Murthy, who hails from Mumbai, was lucky that she didn’t construct the house on a site she bought 20 years for Rs 1.5 lakh. She had paid an equal amount as betterment charges. “Rs 3 lakh was a big sum 20 years ago. We somehow managed to buy this property. Half of my site is gone as the BBMP has dug up a drain there,” she complained. <br /><br />Most of the residents in the locality do not have ‘A’ Khata as it is a revenue pocket. Only those who paid betterment charges got ‘A’ Khata. The BBMP apparently sanctioned the building plan without verifying the revenue record or bothering to tell the residents that a stormwater drain criss-crosses the locality. Today, the whole area resembles an earthquake zone.<br /><br /> With encroachments cleared, the BBMP is now constructing a concrete drain that will lead to demolition of more buildings in the coming days. Tears in their eyes, residents pleaded to the BJP delegation comprising MLAs R Ashoka, S Suresh Kumar, C N Ashwath Narayana, M Sathish Reddy and corporators, to bail them out of the crisis and provide an alternative. The BJP leaders was unanimous in denouncing the demolition drive. <br /></p>
