Despite High Court orders, which clearly mandates that Beggars’ Colony land should be used for the original purpose of rehabilitating the destitute, it is being allotted for non-rehabilitation purposes in bits and pieces to various entities violating the rules.
In the latest move, the Nirashruta Parihahara Kendra (Beggars’ Colony) has been asked by the BBMP to part with 2.23 acres of land by the BBMP for road widening on Magadi Road, stretching from Sumanahalli junctions to Gollarahatti, connecting Outer Ring Road.
Both the parties have locked horns and this time around, NPK is unwilling to part with the land.
Dr R N Rajanaik, Secretary of Central Relief Committee under the Social Welfare Department, working for the welfare of Beggars in the state, said, “We will take up the matter with the Advocate General and also bring up the issue with the government. It is unfortunate that we, working for the beggars’ welfare, are literally made to beg for the protection of our land.”
BBMP officials say that no compensation will be paid for the said land while it has gone ahead with the project even before the land acquisition process is complete for the entire stretch.
“The project is on a 5.6 km stretch and it is held up because the CRC is not willing to part with the land,” said K T Nagaraj, Superintendent Engineer, Major Roads, BMMP.
“No compensation was decided to be paid as it is government land.” In reality, the market value per sq ft of land in the region is anywhere between `6,000-8,000.
The actual area in NPK’s possession has now reduced from 308.03 acres to 165 acres. BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMRCL, BMTC, Sumanahalli Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre, National Institute of Unani Medicine College and Hospital are all beneficiaries of the said land, who have acquired it at a very meager cost.
According to a Census by the Committee, there were around 22,000 beggars in the state of which 9,600 were in Bangalore. Presently, the rehabilitation centre in Bangalore has around 700 inmates.
Commenting on the scenario, Santhosh P Nargund of Rashtrotthan Sankalp, fighting for the rights of beggars in the city, said, “If land continues to be parcelled away at this rate, then the only big property available for beggar relief would be lost because of negligence of the state government. The HC on our PIL last year, had already commented that Monarchy is better than a Democratic government in this instance.”