Eviction row: Govt considering rehabilitating genuine locals, says Deputy CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): As the demolition of "illegal houses" at Kogilu in north Bengaluru triggered a political row, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the state government is considering rehabilitating genuine locals who were evicted.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would convene a meeting on the issue on Monday.
The houses at Kogilu's Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony were demolished on December 20 by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited to clear encroachments for a proposed solid waste processing unit, officials said claiming that the houses were constructed without any official permission, and most of the occupants were migrants from other states.
"....our officials had given proper notice (before demolition). We are ready to rehabilitate those people if they are genuine and if they are local people. We will do whatever the best help we can under the Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme," Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in-charge of Bengaluru development said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a meeting tomorrow on the eviction issue.
State Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, who visited the locality, also said the CM and Deputy CM have called a meeting on this matter on Monday, where a decision may be taken regarding providing alternative arrangements to the people whose houses have been demolished.
"We can expect some good news," he said, adding that notices were served and temporary arrangements were also made for their shelter, but the people were not ready to move, as they feared they would be left nowhere.
The demolition sparked a political controversy after Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the drive, calling it a "brutal normalisation of the bulldozer raj".
After Vijayan's statement, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said he has spoken to CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar and conveyed the party's concerns that such actions (demolition) should be undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre.
Meanwhile, accusing Venugopal of interfering in Karnataka's administration, the opposition BJP on Sunday asked whether he is "super CM" of the state.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly R Ashoka said Karnataka deserves respect, autonomy, and honest governance, not high-command "theatrics".
"Karnataka is not a colony of Rahul Gandhi and his coterie."
"Who is K C Venugopal to “intervene” in the administration of Karnataka? Is he a Super CM, or does the Congress high command believe elected state governments function on Delhi diktats?" he asked.
Venugopal's comments have drawn flak from other opposition leaders and social media users.
Reacting to BJP's criticism against the Congress leader, Shivakumar clarified that Venugopal has not interfered in the administration of the state in any way.
"Venugopal as a General Secretary of the party has power to advise us -- that if anything is there we should go in a larger interest," he said, questioning whether BJP in-charges and offices haven't advised their government while that party was in power.
Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, responding to a question from reporters, accused Kerala CM of "engaging in politics" over the demolition issue, keeping upcoming polls for Kerala assembly in mind.
Some political leaders and organisations from Kerala too, have visited the demolition site, which is being seen as "minority vote bank politics" by politicians from the neighbouring state, as most of the affected are said to be Muslims.
Kerala MLA K T Jaleel, who visited the spot said, if the houses were illegal, how did they get voter id, electricity connection, Aadhar card and other things.
He said, "there is no difference between Congress and BJP....people have said they have not got any notice before demolition. Government should take steps to rehabilitate affected people at alternate places."
Number of affected families have stood their ground and have refused to move from the vicinity, despite their houses being demolished, sources said.
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MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
