No relief for homeowners affected by tree fall

Residents of Medar Block, near Bamboo Bazar in the city, are waiting for a compensation from the government to repair their damaged houses, after an old tree collapsed, during the Dasara festival in October.

Speaking to DH, Devamma, whose house got completely damaged in the mishap, said, "A giant tree collapsed on my house when we were sleeping on the night of Ayudha Puja, during Navaratri. My house got completely damaged. Fortunately, no one was injured in the mishap, but, I sustained minor injuries. Due to the mishap, several things in the house, including electronic home appliances, got damaged."

She said that, though her house has been completely damaged, the government has not issued any compensation, at least to repair the house. “As my husband is a daily wage worker, we are not in a position to repair the house at present, ” she said.

Devamma and her family now stay in her mother's residence, which is adjacent to her house.

Residents Manchamma and Sudhamani, whose houses got partially damaged, claim that though political representatives visited the spot after the mishap and assured of providing financial assistance to repair the houses, no one turned up later, two months after the incident.

Activist Riyaz from the area alleged that the government has not given any compensation to the victims whose houses have been damaged after the tree collapsed. Though the political representatives promised better houses for slum dwellers, it has not materialised, he said.

He said, recently the residents of Medar Block had staged a protest, demanding reconstruction of the dilapidated houses.

It may be recalled that in 2007, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy had stayed in one of the houses in Medar Block and had assured the people of providing better housing facilities for slum dwellers in the city.