Over 500 families left homeless after demolition of sheds on BSWML land in north Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Amid the scattered debris of collapsed homes —utensils, groceries and clothes — a mother is seen feeding her children.

These are the scenes witnessed in the area after sheds built on land belonging to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), near Kogilu Bande in Yelahanka hobli under the Bengaluru North City Corporation limits, were cleared last week.

More than 150 houses have been flattened, leaving over 500 families homeless. With no alternative arrangements made for those affected, they are forced to live amid the debris, exposed to biting cold, heat and dust. The plight of children, the elderly, women and new mothers is indescribable.

With their homes demolished, women are suffering without access to toilets. They are facing severe hardship as there is no space even to breastfeed children or change clothes.

Most of the residents in this area are daily-wage workers and are now worried about how they will repay the loans they had taken to meet everyday needs.

“We had taken loans at high interest rates to manage daily expenses, medical needs and temporary accommodation. Now, we are clueless about how to cope with this situation. Many students studying in schools and colleges have had their education disrupted. With the houses demolished, all personal and educational documents have been buried under the debris,” several residents complained.

“Early Friday morning, there was a power cut at home. Suddenly, officials arrived with JCBs and hundreds of police personnel, woke up the children who were asleep and asked us to turn off the cooking gas cylinders. Then they demolished our homes. We have been living here for 25 years. We must be provided alternative accommodation,” said Fatima.

“Without issuing any notice, around 3 am, JCBs, hundreds of police personnel, fire engines and ambulances arrived suddenly and destroyed our homes. Someone may give us food, but we have no clothes to wear and no place to sleep. In this biting winter, no one seems to care about our situation. Everyone comes seeking votes; now no one is here,” Hasina said angrily.