Fact Finding Report of the Joint Action Committee team on the

status of Nirmala Jyothi and Valmiki Ambedkar Avas Yojana (Vambay) Schemes

The Joint Action Committee decided to constitute a team consisting of Shri Venkataswamy from Samata Sainik Dal (SSD), Shri Keshavmurthy from Madiga Misalarthi Horata Samiti (MRHS), Shri Rajendra from Jan Sahyog, Shri Arul Selva editor of Slum Jagathu and, Shri Clifton D’ Rozario, an Engineeer from Alternative Law Forum (ALF) for a Fact Finding mission into the suspected irregularities in the implementation of Nirmala Jyothi and Valmiki Ambedkar Avas Yojana (Vambay) schemes in several slums across Karnataka.

It was decided that this mission would be conducted in slums across all the districts of Karnataka and that the first phase would look into the status of works in the Class 1 cities of Bellary, Dharwad, Davangere and Chitradurga. To this extent it was decided that the team would visit selected slums in the cities of Hospet, Bellary, Hubli, Davangere and Chitradurga.

Accordingly the team decided on the date of its visit to be 19^th – 23^rd December 2004. The schedule of the team was as follows:

The team on visiting these slums also held press conferences at Hubli and Chitradurga to make public its findings. Press reportage of the same are annexed to this report.

Methodology:

The Team before its visit had already contacted various slum groups from the selected cities and informed then about the intended fact finding mission, its scope and intentions. It was requested for these groups to identify those slums in which the Nirmala Jyothi and Vambay schemes had been carried out over the past year for the Team to visit. To this extent the slum groups identified various slums and when the Team arrived in these cities, they were escorted to these slums by the slum groups.

On reaching the slum the Team walked through the slum and had lengthy dialogues with the residents there on their views regarding the various aspects revolving around the implementation of the Nirmala Jyothi and Vambay schemes in specific, and the problems faced by them in general. It must be stated here that the response that the Team received was overwhelming at points with the slum residents coming out in numbers to relate their experiences, problems and suggestions.

Findings:

The main findings of the team can be summarized under the following heads:

Lack of transparency:

In this day and age when there is a universal acceptance of people’s right to information and there is considerable movement towards transparency especially with regard to the implementation of public works it is sorry to yet again encounter processes in which people have been kept in the dark entirely. Not a single resident of the slums met by the Team possessed any information whatsoever about the various works that had been sanctioned for their slum under the Nirmala Jyothi Scheme. Besides the serious problem of lack of transparency it has also spun off associated complexities. For instance when certain works have not been completed in certain slums, on being questioned by the residents the Contractors have replied that the funds sanctioned have been exhausted and hence the work cannot be completed. This is clearly demonstrated in New Anand Nagar in Hubli where the roads, drains and UGD are incomplete due to these reasons.

Another problem that we have found is that of the lack of access to the concerned officials and the Contractors which has only compounded the problem of lack of transparency. In Sriramnagar (behind Rama Theatre) in Hospet, the residents complained that the Engineers and the Contractors are from Bellary and rarely visited the slum. Further, in the event of them coming to the slum the residents were never informed.

Another problem encountered here is that of sub-contracting. In Khaja Nagar in Hospet the residents told us that the Contractor had sub-contracted all the work due to which they were at loss about who to question about the implementation of the various works.

The Team also found that there is lack of transparency even in the Vambay scheme. The residents whose houses are being constructed under this scheme are unaware of the sanctioned plans, item-wise estimates and the details of repayment. Thus while in certain slums the houses built were two-room units in others it was only a one-room unit. Further in some slums outside plastering was done while in others no plastering or flooring was done. Also the lack of access to the design plans has resulted in the Contractors claiming that the foundation depth was sanctioned to be only 1 ½’ and that the foundation sanctioned was only a single or double course.

The lack of transparency has also resulted in the residents of some slums being misled to believe that the works are being carried out by the area MLAs or Councillors.

The conclusion that is obvious is that the people the Scheme is directed towards are being kept in the dark regarding its details in terms of amounts sanctioned and works to be done and this lack of transparency has among other repercussions enabled siphoning off of allocated funds by the officials and the Contractors.

Lack of participation:

The total lack of participation of the slum residents is another important finding of the team. That is to say that neither the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board officials nor the Contractors have sought to involve the slum residents in the implementation of the project in any manner whatsoever.

In fact where the residents have sought to insert themselves in the process by questioning the Contractors or the workers about the quality of work, etc. they have been threatened with stoppage of work. In Khaja Nagar in Hospet it was found that when the residents did raise objections about the inferior and inadequate quality of drain, road and UGD work, the workers immediately discontinued the work for a few days.

No uniformity of work:

As mentioned in the first point there is absolutely no uniformity of work carried out under both the schemes. Therefore in some slums Vambay houses consist of two units while in others it is a single unit house. Another example would be the construction of surface drains where in some slums the quality is good while in others it is downright pathetic. The same goes for roads, water supply and UGD.

Quality of Vambay houses:

The quality of the Vambay houses, as found by the Team, ranges from extremely poor to mediocre at the best with most of the houses falling in the poor category.

Sand for bed concrete! Kaamana Bhavi in Chitradurga

(Ambedkar Nagar in Bellary)

One of the most glaring problems that the Team found was the inferior quality of the Vambay houses. Sriramnagar in Davangere exemplifies this where ever single Vambay house has structural diagonal cracks due to inadequate foundations. The Team learnt that the depth of foundations was only between 1 – 1 ½’ with usage of inadequate cement. The Team was appalled at the fact that these cracks have already started to develop less than a year after they have been constructed.

The general quality of the Vambay houses have been found to be poor with, in most slums, no wall plastering, roof plastering or flooring being done.

Every single family whose house was built under this scheme has contributed substantially in terms of labour, materials and money over and above the sanctioned amounts. In Ambedkar Nagar in Bellary the Team personally witness the ongoing foundation work for several houses where in few the depth was 4’ while in one it was 2’. It was learnt that the Contractor had said that the sanction was only for 2’ foundations and any family desiring deeper foundations had to do the excavations, provide materials and money for such. So some of the families having the capacity to do so contributed and have 4’ foundations while others have only 2’ foundations.

Quality of works carried out under Nirmala Jyothi:

Generally speaking the quality of works under Nirmala Jyothi is poor. The Team learnt and saw for itself that the materials that have been of inferior quality and inadequate.

Roads

The roads that have been laid are of cement concrete and the maximum depth, the Team found, was about 4”. In Sriramnagar (behind Rama Theatre) in Hospet it was found that the depth varies between 2” to 3” while in New Anand Nagar the depth was found to be ½” – 1” only. The insufficient depth of the roads has resulted in it disintegrating less than a year since it was laid. A glimpse at the photos shown below demonstrates this point. While the photos on the first row are of roads in the slums the next row is that of a narrow by-lane in the city of Davangere. Note the thickness of the second cement concrete road and the disintegration in the first one. Such is the shoddiness of work being carried out in terms of road laying in the slums under the Nirmala Jyothi scheme.

CC Roads laid in Sriramnagar (behind Rama Theatre) Hospet

CC Road being laid on a by-lane in the centre of Davangere City

The Team also found that the roads have not been laid with a proper gradient resulting in stagnation of water on the roads. This was reported to the Team by the residents of all the slums where CC Roads had been laid.

It was further found that the road levels are such that it is higher than the threshold and floor level of the houses on either side.

What was also seen was that the laying of CC roads was not completed in the entire slum and several roads were left un-concreted. In some slums like Maruthi Nagar Heggere in Hubli and Sriramnagar in Davangere the roads were not yet laid when the team had visited them.

Under Ground Drainage (UGD)

With regard to the laying of UGD the Team found that it was being done in the most unscientific manner. In Sidalingappa Chowki in Hospet UGD and water pipes laid besides each other. We saw that the water pipes are already cracking and water leaking. The UGD also is inferior quality and the joints are not properly insulated. This immediately gives possibility of the sewage water entering the water pipes and causing contamination that will indeed be very dangerous from the health point of view.

UGD and water line being laid adjacent to each other in Siddalingappa Chowki

The Team also was also told that the UGD line was not being laid in gradient and that there was no use of levels to check the gradient during construction. Further the

In all slums except Ambedkar Nagar in Bellary it was found that though the UGD line was in place, the UGD was dysfunctional. In few slums even the individual connections were not yet taken

In some slums like Sriramnagar in Davangere, UGD was yet to be provided.

Regarding the construction of manholes, the Team saw that the manholes were rather shallow in most slums especially Khaja Nagar. Also the manholes were not provided with covers in few slums and the residents had placed stones and wooden planks over them to prevent people from falling into the open manholes.

Manholes without covers in Sriramnagar

Another important finding of the team is that in few areas the UGD had been laid in the slum but was yet to be connected to any main UGD line. This is a rather pathetic way of laying UGD and the Team was highly disappointed to see such shoddy and un-engineering-like work being carried out in the slums. This was most evident in Khaja Nagar in Hospet and New Anand Nagar in Hubli.

The poor quality of the stone ware pipes that were used was seen in Siddalingappa Chowki and Sriramnagar (behind Rama Theatre) in Hospet. While in Sriramnagar, the Team was told that the pipes gets damaged easily and on an average at least 1 pipe needs replacement every month, in Siddalingappa Chowki the Team saw the pipes being laid and saw for itself the inferior quality 4” SW pipes being used. The 9” SW pipes were of better quality here.

Water

Drinking water was found to be one on the main problems faced by the slum residents and the works done by the Nirmala Jyothi scheme has not in anyway rectified this problem.

It was found that though the water lines had been laid in few areas such as Siddalingappa Chowki there was no water supply since the water is to be supplied from a water tank that is yet to be constructed!

It was also found that Low grade 2” PVC pipes have been used. The Team also learnt that these low grade pipes of 20’ length cost Rs 160/- per length. In Sriramnagar (behind Rama Theatre) in Hospet, where the road had been dug up, the Team saw that the water pipes that have been laid are of such extremely poor quality.

Low grade water pipe in Sriramnagar (Opposite Nazir Industries)

The Team also heard people state that they were sure that the drinking water will never be delivered since they were not connected to any main water supply line and also because of the quality of water pipes used to make the connections. Not only is the quality poor but the fact that it was laid just below the surface (as seen from the above photograph) makes it susceptible to constant breakage. It was also found that the water pipes have not been laid in level. Further, even though water pipes have been laid no connections have been made either to individual houses or to any main line. In few slums even the laying of water pipes has not taken place.

The Team also learnt that in New Santhe Maidan in Chitradurga a Borewell that was sanctioned for this slum was put in Idgah Mohalla more than 1 km away

In all individual water connections were not seen in any slum visited by the Team despite the Nirmala Jyothi project.

With regard to community taps the Team found these to be inadequate for the entire slum and further the frequency of water supply was low. For example in a slum like Khaja Nagar in Hospet where there are 160 families, there are 4 public taps where water is supplied once in 4 days. In New Anand Nagar in Hubli where there are 346 families, Mini water supply has been installed by the Corporation with water being supplied once in a week. This is the only source of drinking water failing which the residents have to access drinking water more than 1 km away.

The public taps have been found to be located near the drains, which is rather unhygienic. In Khaja Nagar in Hospet the public water tap in the slum is near the drain and has no tap only open pipe. So when the drain overflows the dirty water enters the pipe and causes contamination

Public Tap in Khaja Nagar Public Tap in Varkere

Leaking low Grade PVC water pipes running through the drain

in Maruthinagar Heggere

Drains

The quality of construction of drains has been found to be generally poor. The Team saw that the drains were not plastered in most slums while in few even the flooring was not proper. It was also found that the shoulders for the drains were not provided in several slums.

The Team has found that the depth of the drains has not been calculated in accordance with the number of families that would use it and have been laid rather arbitrarily. There is not much of a difference in depths for surface and storm drains.

One common feature of all the drains seen is the stagnation of drainage water all along the length of the drain due to non-observance of levels while laying them. In Khaja Nagar in Hospet, Abdul Sammad said that the stagnation in the drains in the slum causes dirty smell and proliferation of mosquitoes. This makes living here very difficult. Also causes illness and increased hospital expenses. Further visitors to their houses cannot sit in their houses and this is very embarrassing.

The team found that the drains were not being used and were filled with mud and rubble. The residents informed the team that the cleaning of the drain does not take place at all. The Team also saw that the drains were crumbling in various places.

Drains filled with garbage in Ambedkar Nagar in Bellary

Drains that are falling apart in Siddarameshwara nagar in Hubli

As in other items even with regard to drains the Team found that they had not been laid entirely in most slums.

Small drains laid only on one side of the road in New Anand Nagar

In Siddalingappa Chowki, near Yusuf Khan’s house, no drain has been provided and the Contractor has said that it had not been sanctioned. So the family has dug a hole where the sewage water fills up and cleans it manually everyday. This is an unhygienic practice but the family has no choice but to resort to such a practice.

One of the most alarming findings was in New Santhe Miadan in Chitradurga where drains have been laid on only one side of one by-lane of approximately 125’-150’length and apparently Rs 10.60 lakhs have been sanctioned for this.The drains have been constructed of solid cement blocks and covered with granite slabs under the NJ scheme.

In Sriramnagar in Danagere no drains have been provided.

It was also found that in some slums the drains do not lead to any main drainage line and end abruptly at the end of the slum. This the Team found in Maruthi Heggere and New Anand Nagar in Hubli. In Maruthi Heggere no reason has been attributed to this while in New Anand Nagar the reason given for this is that the owner of the field has raised a dispute and refused to allow the drain and UGD line to pass through the field. However, there is an alternative route that could be used that the Contractor has refused to consider the same.

This is also seen in Khaja Nagar and Varkere slums in Hospet. The drains from Khaja Nagar lead out of the slum towards Varkere slum. The drains leading out of Varkere are blocked at the end because a private factory there has raised a dispute regarding the drains. Hence there is no outflow and obvious clogging. The Team was told that there is an ongoing litigation with factory on this matter.

Toilets:

Though not on the agenda of the Team when it was fact finding mission was originally planned, the issues around that of toilets has emerged as an important issue. In almost every slum the Team found that the community toilets were either not provided, or were in unusable condition or constructed but yet to be opened for use by the slum residents.

The worst experience heard was that of the women in Sriramnagar (behind Rama Theatre) in Hospet. The community toilet there is in a pathetic condition. It is overflowing all around and every seat is also overflowing. It is insulting and damaging to the people’s dignity to use these. The women complained vociferously and talked about the humiliation in using these dirty toilets and the other humiliation in using the open space adjacent to the community toilet. When the Team visited the toilet there was a terrible stench all around the toilet. There is a NFE centre for children and anganwadi located adjacent to the community toilet where food is cooked and served for children here. The residents told us that the common flies that rest and feed on the feceas also sit on the children’s food. This is highly dangerous for the children and can easily result in an epidemic. Residents around the community toilet belong to the Madiga and Paramar community and these are the worst affected having to live in the midst of such stench and squalor. Muslim women and others decried the situation and lamented their bad fate and the unconcerned attitude of the officials.

Overflowing toilets at Sriramnagar

The same kind of situation was found at the community toilet at Verkere.

The Team also found that in Kulkarni Akala and New Sudagad Chawl in Hubli and Kamaana Bhavi in Chitradurga toilets had been constructed on a budget of Rs 4 lakhs each but lying unused for various reasons. The same is the case in Siddarameshwara nagara and New Santhe Maidan where toilets have been constructed and yet to be opened for use by the slum residents there.

It is indeed appalling that in some slums something as basic as a toilet is yet to be provided to slum residents while in others it has been constructed and not maintained while in others it is constructed but yet to be opened for public use.

Corruption and gross siphoning off of sanctioned funds:

From the visit the Team has found that there is a serious incidence of allocated funds being siphoned off by the Contractors probably in collusion with the KSCB officials. It is the Team’s view that off the sanctioned work only 25% has been carried out. The remaining has been siphoned off by carrying out lesser works than sanctioned and using lesser materials for construction.

PART II

Details of visit:

HOSPET

1. Sriram Nagar recorded on official records as ‘Behind Rama Theatre’

According to official records –

No. of families – 306

Population – 1698

Legal status – 3(f) on 16-02-1990

Abstract of project costs for this slum are:

Nirmala Jyothi Scheme – 1^st Year Implementation (2002 – 03) budgets are:

The slum is located behind Rama Theatre and the team found that the Muslim and Dalit communities comprise almost the entire population residing in this slum. The observations of the team are as follows:

General observations:

• The residents of the slum are unaware of the quantum of works sanctioned and the sanctioned amounts for the same. They have not been consulted nor has their participation been sought.

• In fact whenever the residents raised objections on the bad quality of work, usage of lesser materials, etc. the workers employed to carry out the works threatened to stop work immediately.

• The residents also stated that the Engineers and the Contractors are from Bellary and rarely visited the slum. Further, in the event of them coming to the slum the residents were never informed.

• Of the sanctioned work only 25% appears to have been completed. Whenever the residents raised objections regarding the incomplete works they have been told that the sanctioned amount has been exhausted and hence remaining work cannot be completed.

• What we saw was that only 50% of the work has been done of which only 25% was found to be proper. Despite this the claim is that sanctioned funds have been exhausted so no further work can be taken up

• The Engineers have shown no interest whatsoever to interact with the residents and as such that is no relationship between the two. No relationship between residents and the Board.

• No SWM

• The team spoke to the Masjid leader and ex-Corporator as well. Several residents gathered around and testified before the team besides escorting the team around the slum.

Roads:

• Concrete roads of depth varying between 2” to 3” have been laid without any proper gradient.

• The quality of the concrete appears poor as it is already disintegrating just few months after being laid.

• The roads in Murana Masjid were not completely laid and the quality is generally poor.

• The road levels are such that it is higher than the threshold and floor level of the houses on either side. The team was told that almost 70% of the roads have been laid in such manner.

• All the roads have not been concreted

UGD:

• Residents stated that low quality pipes have been used. Every month atleast 1 UDG pipe gets damaged and requires repair.

• Manhole covers were missing on several manholes and the residents had placed stones and wooden planks over them to prevent people from falling into the open manholes.

• Each house connected to the UDG

Water:

• There was an old existing line that has been upgraded by the contractoir by replacing only few of the old pipes.

• Low grade 2” PVC pipes have been used. )of 20’ length costing Rs 160/- per length

• Opposite Nazir Industries, where the road had been dug up, we saw that the water pipes that have been laid are of extremely poor quality

• No water or taps

Drains:

• Stagnation of drains seen everwhere due to clogging by garbage and poor gradient. Design of drains flawed

• Drains and road laid together and materials clubbed resulting in less materials being used

• Drains stagnate

• Drains have only one shoulder and hug the foundations on the other. No proper plastering and flooring for the drains – this means that thgough the estimate is for both shoulders money is siphoned off by building only one. Maney is further siphoned off in works that are not done at all.

Vambay:

• Vambay – less dimensions not 225 sq ft. people have gioven extra Rs 300 to Rs 500 plus 10-15 bags of cement per house

• Vambay – Silar Bi’s house – no plastering done and the roof is leaking

• Vambay – Noor’s house measures 12’ x 20’ and he has spent an extra Rs 30,000/- on materials and bribes

Toilets:

• The community toilet is in pathetic condition. It is overflowing all around and every seat is also overflowing. Its is insulting and damaging to the peoples dignity to use these. The women complained vociferously and talked about the humiliation is using these and the other humiliation in using the open space adjacent to the community toilet. Terrible stench.

• NFE centre for children and anganwadi are located adjacent to the community toilet. Food is cooked and served for children here and common flies that rest and feed on the feceas (???) also sit on the children’s food. This is highly dangerous for the children and can easily result in an epidemic.

• Residents around the community toilet belong to the Madiga and Paramar community and these are the worst affected having to live in the midst of such stench and squalor.

• Muslim women and others decried the situation and lamented their bad fate and the unconcerned attitude of the officials.

• Fatima and Silarbi of House Number 50 siad that there was no arrangement for toilets and going to the community toilet was humiltaing and so was sitting in the open.

• Khaja Hussein also lamented the sorry state of the Community Toilet

2. Khaja Nagar

According to official records –

No. of families – 150

Population – 758

Legal status – 3(f) on 28-11-1988

Abstract of project costs for this slum are:

Nirmala Jyothi Scheme – 1^st Year Implementation (2002 – 03) budgets are:

General Comments:

• 160 families

• DYFI

• Maruthi, Sajjat Khan, Srinivas – residents who guided the team

• No provision for garbage dump

• No SWM – garbage rarely cleaned

• When residents raised objections work was immediately discontinued. Since sub-contracting done they never could raise objections before the Contractor. After stopping work for a week or two new set of workers restart work

• No electricity meters supplied – House No. 62 resident said that the residents have put up their own

• Abdul Sammad said that quality of mortar very poor for the drains – 1 bag cement for 1 truckload of sand.

• Water and toilets urgently and desperately needed

• No health centre

• Muslims and dalits

• No SWM

• Railways have built a wall to cordon off the slum

• Done on sub-contracting basis on piece meal basis

• No street bins

Roads:

• Water stagnation on the roads due to bad laying…

• Houses lower than the roads

• Roads are of bad quality and minimal depth

• Roads – cement, bad quality, 3 ½ months old yet disintegrating, around 5.2 kms of road laid out.

UGD:

• No manhole covers – people covered it with stones and wooden planks

• Depth of manholes insufficient

• UGD laid is dysfunctional and is laid in the area only and not connected to any main line to carry out the waste. Manholes are shallow and filled with mud and have no covers.

• Just like the drains even the UGD line is not built to level

Water:

• CMC water tap installed next to the drain

• The public water tap in the slum is near the drain and has no tap only open pipe. So when the drain overflows the dirty water enters the pipe and causes contamination

• Anoor Bi – House No. 48 – no drinking water. Only get once in 3-4 days. Quality of water very poor and it smells

• Residents spend atleast Rs. 20 to Rs 30 per week only on drinking water

• 4 public taps only located near drains

Drains:

• Quality of drains poor

• Main drain is on the side of the railway track and perpetually clogged. Also bad construction

• Drainage not laid to level, no proper foundation or flooring for drains

• Drain water leads out of the slum towards Varkere slum. In between the drain passes under railway culvert where there is excessive blockage and clogging.

• Abdul Sammad said that the stagnation in the drains in the slum and the main drain under the railway tracks causes dirty smell and proliferation of mosquitoes. This makes living here very difficult. Also causes illness and increased hospital expenses. Visitors to our houses cannot sit in our houses and this is very embarrassing.

• Side drains – no difference between side drains and storm drains! One shoulder only on the road side, no finishing, no gradient hence stagnation, no flooring

• The main drain carrying out all the waste water out of the slum is badly constructed and incomplete. Not leveled nor plastered

• Sewage water is stuck under the railway culvert

• Overflowing and stagnant drains have caused diseases regularly

Vambay:

• No Vambay houses

Toilets:

• No provision for Community Toilet though this is the real need of the community

• No community toilet so people use the railway tracks where they are chased away from, stones thrown at them

3. Varkere

According to official records –

No. of families – 285

Population – 3030

Legal status – 3(f) on 18-11-1983

Abstract of project costs for this slum are:

Nirmala Jyothi Scheme – 1^st Year Implementation (2002 – 03) budgets are:

General Comments:

• 273 families

• Majority communities are Madigas and Muslims

• The plans on which basis the works have been sanctioned are fabricated. We are enclosing the true layout plan and the one sanctioned where it is clear that the sanctioned plans are fabricated.

Roads:

UGD:

• UGD connected to main line but no individual connections made. If the Khaja Nagar line is to join the main line it would need to be extended till here but yet to be done

Water:

Drains:

• The drains leading out of Varkere are blocked at the end because a private factory there has raised a dispute regarding the drains. Hence no outflow and clogging. Incidentally the drains from Khaja Nagar come into Varkere and connect to the Varkere drains so the problems are faced by both slums due to this conflict.

• Gurulingappa said that the drains are unplanned

• Sewage drains from Khaja Nagar come and join the Varkere drains.

• Litigation with factory who are blocking the drains

Vambay:

• Vambay houses – Jambanna House No. 76, 10’x20’, solid cement blocks, foundation only 1 ½ feet deep, contributed additional materials and money, plastering and flooring not done, RCC roof only 3 ½ “ thickness, Rs. 3500 as labour contract for the house construction, no roof plastering or WPC so leking

• Hanumanthappa House No. 114 also has the same testimony

• Bhavani and Meenakshi said that the Vamby houses were not plastered

• Ereswamy said that the foundation was only 2 ½’ to 3‘ deep.

• Vambay House No. 105 10’x20’ only basic structure done with no plastering, roof slab only 3 ½”, 8mm rods used, cracks at corner indicating bad foundation and inferior brick masonry

• House No 115 seen from above, no roof plastering or water proofing done

• Excavation work for the foundations are done by the house members themselves for Rs 200 labour if at all. The depth of foundation is 1 – 1 ½’. When people ask for deeper foundations they are told that the allocation si only for 1 ½’ foundation and if they desire deeper they will have to provide the materials themselves.

Toilets:

• Public toilet is in terrible condition – small pit that has already been filled up and not emptied – each of the seats are overflowing – stench – health hazard – no option but to use the railway tracks

• Community toilet is filled up and overflowing and the pit has not been cleaned for months now

4. Siddalingappa Chowki

According to official records –

No. of families – 199

Population – 1603

Legal status – 3(f) on 30-05-1983

Abstract of project costs for this slum are:

Nirmala Jyothi Scheme – 1^st Year Implementation (2002 – 03) budgets are:

General Comments:

• Obviously work done only because it was sanctioned and not with any intention to make available the essential services to slum dwellers

• UGD and water lines laid besides each other

• 4 lanes no roads, UGD, drains, etc.

• Funds allocated for this area have been used up to build roads and drains in an adjacent locality which does not belong to the slum.

• Nisar – UGD, drainage, water all not proper. Bad workmanship. Foundation only 2’.

• Plans and estimates not informed to the people and hence have no clue about what is sanctioned, etc.

Roads:

• 5^th Cross Jhandekatte road has not been laid. In fact most of the narrow lanes have not been laid yet while the claim is that the work is complete. Residents have no sense of the quantum of work sanctioned and for what amount to assess whether work is really finished or not.

• What has been built even recently like the roads are already in the need for repair

• Road and drain materials clubbed so as to save by the contractors.

• Roads higher than the houses hence the drain waters enter the houses.

• In several lanes the road and drains were not laid with the excuse that these were not sanctioned

• Roads laid on only 3 crosses and I inside road. The main road and many lanes yet to be paved.

UGD:

• UGD and water pipes laid besides each other. We saw that the water pipes are already cracking and water leaking. The UGD also is inferior quality and the joints are not properly insulated. This immediately gives possibility of the sewage water entering the water pipes and causing contamination that will indeed be very dangerous from the health point of view.

• UGD gradient not proper. There is no use of levels while laying either the water or UGD pipes

Water:

• Water lines have been laid very unscientifically, not in level in most places and appears like the flow will be in the opposite direction!

• People are sure that the drinking water will never be delivered and will not reach because of the manner in which the pipes have been laid down.

• Water is to be supplied from a water tank that is yet to be constructed

• Pipes are laid just below the surface and given to breakage due to the shallow depth and low grade PVC pipes.

Drains:

• Near Yusuf Khan’s house no drain provided, contractor said that it had not been sanctioned. So the family has dug a hole where the sewage water fills up and clean it manually everyday. Unhygienic practice but no choice.

• Renuka Rudrappa – 18607 house number said that the drainage levels are wrong and cause stagnation of water.

• Drains – plastered, flooring.

Vambay:

• No Vambay houses

Toilets:

• No community toilet and people use the maidan called Shaadi Khani

• Most residents use the open as toilet though few have individual toilets

BELLARY

1. Ambedkar Nagar (Kannada Nagara)

According to official records –

No. of families –

Population –

Legal status –

Abstract of project costs for this slum from the Detailed Project Report for the up-gradation of Slums of 21 Class-1 cities are:

(CHECK FIGURES)

General Comments:

• 500 houses

• According to Venkamma, a Dalit writer, these 20’x30’ plots were allotted to the residents 25 years ago

• Do not need a community toilet and instead prefer a Community Hall. According to Venkamma the land that is presently being used for the Community Toilet was granted to the slum residents several years ago and was a plot of 100’x200’ though much of its has been encroached upon now. She said that the real need was for a hall that could be used for marriages and community celebrations since it is difficult for them to rent our halls since they are Dalit.

• SSD has contributed in the efforts of slum dwellers in realizing access to basic services

• 500 families

• SSD Women’s Wing President Venkamma

• What was also learnt was that the provision of services, houses, etc was the result of the relentless struggle by the community for the past 30 years

Roads:

• Roads are relatively better than the other slums that the team had visited thus far and this could be attributed to the supervision by the Yuva Sangha

UGD:

• UGD is relatively better than the other slums that the team had visited thus far and this could be attributed to the supervision by the Yuva Sangha

Water:

• Each family has contributed Rs 350 /- and built water tank themselves

Drains:

• The team found that the drains were not being used and were filled with mud and rubble. The residents informed the team that the cleaning of the drain does not take place at all.

Vambay:

• Foundations are shallow and the familes have to cover all expenditure for deeper foundations. The contractors have flatly stated that their duty is for only 2 ½’ to 3’ foundation i.e. I course bed concrete and 2 courses SSM. Anything more than this has to be met by the family personally by supplying all necessary materials and paying for the labour.

• The family does the excavation work for the foundation and are paid Rs 200 for it

• Plots of 20’x30’ but in Vambay only 10’x20’ being built

• Uligamma said that the plans, estimates, etc have not been shown to them. In fact the Contractors just come and do the marking for the foundation which the residents cannot question. If they do so they are threatened by the Contractors who threaten to stop the work.

• People have been led to believe that the Councilor and MLA have raised the funds for them. This hampers their questioning since they do not look at this like it actually is i.e. high interest (CI) loan to be repaid

• 2 unit houses being built – kitchen and hall

• Durgappa, Mahesh, Veeresh and Mukanna said that thay have given extra materials for construction of their house

• 27 houses under Vambay. People say that only those who run behind the politicians get allotted houses.

• Each family in Vambay has ended up contributing atleast Rs 30,000 /- to Rs 40,000 /- for the construction of their houses

Toilets:

• Individual toilets constructed by most and connected to the UGD

HUBLI

1. New Anand Nagar

According to official records –

No. of families – 346

Population – 1700

Legal status – 3(F) on 02-07-1999

Outline costs for this slum are:

General Comments:

• H.K. Madagiri, Abdul Majid, Mohammed Ghose

• The slum is located far away from the city

• Medical services not accessible and the demand is for a Maternity Hospital

• Though the estimated work was meant to cover the entire area the actual work carried out is only partial with drains missing on several roads, etc.

• Major communities are Muslim and Dalit

• In fact all the work on the main road have been done by the Corporation while that on the inside lanes were carried out by the Contractor

• The UGD and the drains are not connected to any outlet main line but end abruptly at the end of the slum and the water from the drains flow into an open filed and stagnates there rather un-hygienically. The reason attributed for this is that the owner of the field has raised a dispute and refused to allow the drain and UGD line to pass through the field. However, there is an alternative route that could be used that the Contractor has refused to consider the same.

• Abdul Majeed M. Haldewale

Roads:

• Low quality road

• Concrete roads are only 2” thickness and are already disintegrating though laid hardly one year back

• Concrete road depth varies between ½” to 2” and is disintegrating

• There are 17 gullies each measuring approximately 150’ and one main road.

UGD:

• No main line connection for the UGD

• The main line of UDG was provided by the Corporation while those on the 17 lanes inside the slum were laid by the Contractor

Water:

• Water pipes laid but no connections made either to individual houses or to any main line

• Mini water supply installed by the Corporation is unhygienic with water being supplied once in a week. This is the only source of drinking water failing which the residents have to access drinking water more than 1 km away

• Once in 4 days water is supplied for 2 hours

Drains:

• Water stagnation common in the drains indicating flawed levels

• Drains are of rather shallow depth and no designed according to the assumed outflow from the houses utilizing them. Also the gradient is flawed

Vambay:

• Low quality Vambay house construction

• House No. 367 belonging to Abdul Bagalkot measuring 10’x20’ was not plastered nor flooring provided. ”It is a twin house”.

• Ventilation terrible

• Foundation only 1 to 1 ½ ‘ depth

• Shami Banu of House No. 150/3 said that the drains were blocked, no public taps, no drinking water nor sanitation provided, electricity infrastructure put up but no supply and that the UGD and water lines were laid besides each other

• Abdul Majid, Mohammed Ghose, Imam Hussein, Mahadevappa, Abdul Aziz Khan all stated that the foundation was only 1 – 1 ½ ‘. Also that Rs 5125/- paid through DD, no flooring or plastering

• Plots vary between 30’x20’ and 30x15’ but this is not homogenous

• Totally 780 houses of which 13 Vambay sanctioned.

• Vambay – each paid Rs 5125/- and Rs 165 /- monthly. No flooring nor plastering done. People have done their own and also spent ample amounts in doing chajjas and facades.

Toilets:

• No latrine facilities except for a Community Toilet that is overloaded and hence have to use open spaces. Even these are getting restricted due to the ongoing constructions of houses in nearby open lands

• Humiliating for the women especially since they get yelled at when the use the open spaces for relieving themselves

Electricity:

• Electricity poles erected and cables put in place but no supply

2. Maruthi Nagar Heggere

According to official records –

No. of families – 1152

Population – 4608

Legal status – 3(F) on 23-07-1994

Outline costs for this slum are: