Kar former minister opposes displacing slum dwellers

Bangalore, June 17(UNI) Senior Congress leader and former minister S Ramesh today urged the Karnataka government to put an end to the spree of displacing slum-dwellers in the city taking into consideration of their plights of abject poverty and inconvenience.

Addressing a press conference here he said the act of the government officials to uproot the slum dwellers during rainy-days was 'inhuman' and demanded that the government should take action against those who had turned their blind-eye all these years.

Mr Ramesh alleged over 25000 slumdwellers were displaced using police force in the last few weeks without giving any prior notice.

these slumdwellers had cnme to the city in search of livehood and were living in slums as they could not afford to live in rented accomodation due to prohibitive costs. Taking advantage of their plights, the state officials and slum lords put them up in open places and indulged in exploiting them, he alleged.

He felt that instead of displacing them, the government should extend civic amneties for their honourable living. The Congress leader also alleged that the slum dwellers, who were issued ration cards to get foodgrains at subsidised rates and supplied electricity were also evicted from their dwelling places.

Mr Ramesh threatened to launch an agitation against the state govenrment if it continueed to targed the slum dwellers.

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