Significant Impact of JnNURM intervention in Deshyanagar

The Karnataka Slum Clearance Board (KSCB) in its projects under 1^st and 2^nd phase slums (totaling 33 slums in Bangalore) under JNNURM had not budgeted for Transit Stay Arrangement for the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries were told to fend for themselves in the construction period which ranges from 12-15 months, in some cases even more – putting enormous economic, social, physical and physiological pressures on the urban poor families.

Now the KSCB has taken a conscious decision to budget this component in all the slums coming under the 3^rd phase – as a direct result of intervention in Deshyanagar - as admitted by the officials. From now on all the families where JNNURM projects will be taken up by the KSCB, it would make sure that all the families would get proper accommodation, water and sanitation facilities in the transit phase.

How did this come about? The following events happened in that date wise sequence:

1. People met and submitted a request to the Commissioner, KSCB on 21^st May 2009 details on the JnNURM-BSUP housing project that is being implemented by KSCB in Deshyanagar slum. People didn’t have a clue on the project details. A major request was made to provide transit stay arrangement to the residents immediately, before beginning any construction work. He assured the residents that the arrangements will be made for transit stay in a week’s time. He asked the residents to clear a portion of the land so that construction of one block could begin. The residents honoured his word and 42 families cleared a portion of the site on the next day, 22^nd May 2009 itself. The promise was never met.

2. The Technical Director, KSCB came and addressed the people on 3^rd June 2009. Apart from other assurances he promised transit stay arrangement with water and toilets by 8^th June 2009. The promise was never met.

3. Four (joint) letters to KSCB from the Deshyanagar People’s Committee, CIVIC and Mythri dated 21st May 2009, 1^st June 2009, 9^th June 2009 and 15^th June 2009, requesting inter alia for provision of transit stay arrangements for those displaced by KSCB from Deshyanagar slum were submitted. No action was taken by any officers.

4. KSCB was asked under RTI with life and liberty clause on the action taken report on each of these four letters on 19^th June 2009. The KSCB did not reply in 48 hours.

5. CIVIC filed a petition with Karnataka Human Rights Commission on 20^th June 2009. The honourable member has asked the KSCB to arrange for the transit facilities by 6^th July and file an interim report. The case is coming for hearing in August.

6. On 22^nd June 2009, the Technical Director and the Assistant Executive Engineer orally instructed the families to put up their huts in the opposite BBMP office space, assuring that they will take care of any untoward incidents. The families put up their in the evening. The next day, on 23^rd June 2009 they were thrown out to the pavement again. No official of the KSCB took any responsibility. They were shunted from their original place to pavements and to another and back to the pavement - with out taking any responsibility for this unnecessary physical and psychological stress.

7. The Chief Information Commissioner sent a summons to the KSCB on 24^th June to appear for hearing on 30^th June 2009. In the interim period the KSCB sent a letter of explanation to CIVIC suppressing the truth – that the families had vacated on their own.

8. On 30^th June 2009, The Chief Information Commissioner heard the case and directed the KSCB to provide the transit stay arrangement by 10^th July 2009 and to appear for the hearing on the same day with a status report.

9. On 2^nd July 2009, for the first time, KSCB officials ask for a meeting with the community. The Executive Engineer (EE) and Assist. Executive Engineer (AEE) discussed with the people. The EE admitted that it was a fault by the KSCB that it did not make provision in the budget under JNNURM in the first and second phase implementation. The EE admitted that with the experience of Deshyanagar the KSCB has consciously made a decision to budget this component in all the projects from the third phase.

This is a major transformation in the approach while implementation of NURM by the KSCB. However the families of Deshyanagar continue to live on the pavements – after 40 days of displacement. The KSCB officials continue to assure that they will find a place sooner than later.

Many questions remain unanswered w.r.t Deshyanagar slum project. A few noteworthy are:

- The DPR obtained under RTI from KSCB put the project cost at Rs.6.23 crores and this is already sanctioned from the centre. Now the KSCB is saying that the project cost is about Rs.2.43 crores. An explanation was sought as to where will the remaining amount of Rs.3.8 crores, which is sanctioned by the centre to this project of Deshyanagar will go. The EE opined that he is not clear on this. The AEE said that the DPR is being ‘reworked’ now. The EE assured that he would provide the ‘reworked’ DPR immediately.

- The guidelines suggest the land title be given to the families in the name of women. There KSCB has told the people that they will be given only possession certificate – after clearing the beneficiary contribution.

- The KSCB has collected Rs.5100 from each of the 112 families in March 2008 – 15 months before the project started on the ground. The families are struggling to payback this loan.

- The operation & maintenance cost is not discussed with families. Even the EE and AEE don’t have a clue.

CIVIC is trying to get to the bottom of this mess. It along with the people’s committee and Mythri is pressing hard to get the transit arrangement as quickly as possible.