The staff members of the Forest Department, on Wednesday, evicted the families of plantation workers by removing the temporary sheds and tents they had put up in the forest area at Kallatte near Kalasa in Mudigere taluk. Amidst opposition from the residents, the officials removed the poles and roof sheets.
Around 15 families, all native of Malleshana Gudda, a village which witnessed severe devastation during the heavy rains last year, had put up sheds and tents in the forest area. They had urged the district administration to grant a suitable land for them so that they could build houses as they were not ready to stay put in Malleshana Gudda.
Gopal Hadlamane, leader of the struggle committee of houseless people, told The Hindu that the people had put up tents at the place as they had no other safe place. . “They have suffered a lot because of heavy rains last year. They would have gone to a place allotted to them. Now, the Forest Department had evicted them all of a sudden. Where should they go now? The government should come to their rescue”, he said.
Further, he said the workers had staged an agitation seeking the land. However, they stopped the agitation as the lockdown was imposed due to COVID-19. “Now, we have to restart our protest seeking land for all the landless people”, he said.
Hundreds of people lost homes during the heavy rains last year in Mudigere taluk. Those with sites got financial assistance from the government to build houses.
