The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Only 10 per cent of those living in Ragigudda slum are literate

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Thursday, Jun 18, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Only 10 per cent of those living in Ragigudda slum are literate

B.S. Ramesh

A majority of people living in the slum are workers from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

To be rehabilitated: A view of Ragigudda slum at J.P. Nagar.

BANGALORE: Ninety per cent of about 5,000 slum dwellers residing in the Ragigudda slum at J.P. Nagar in Bangalore are non-literate and only seven per cent of the literate population have passed SSLC. However, even those who have passed SSLC have stopped further studies either due to lack of opportunities or peer pressure.

Shockingly, the slum does not have a single school and illiteracy rate is very high at 90 per cent.

Only seven per cent of the dwellers have passed SSLC but all of them have stopped studying further.

This startling revelation is a result of the survey carried out by the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board (KSCB).

The board had taken up a survey in order to resettle the inhabitants of the slum in a better place with better facilities.

A majority of people living in the Ragigudda slum are migrant workers from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Sixty two per cent of the inhabitants of the slum earn less than Rs. 5,000 a month and only 10 per cent have no regular source of income.

A majority of the men are addicted to alcohol and gambling and most of them are daily wage workers.

Although 40 per cent of the populace in the slum speak Tamil, 30 per cent speak Urdu, and 10 per cent Kannada and Telugu each, communication has never been a problem for the slum dwellers. Almost all of them understand one another’s language.

In the report, the board says there are 542 slums in Bangalore and they come under different civic agencies, including the board, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

Thirty per cent of the slum dwellers do not have a guaranteed job and 20 per cent of the women work as housemaids.

While 60 per cent of the slum dwellers belong to the Scheduled Tribes (ST), 30 per cent are Scheduled Castes (SC) and 5 per cent Muslims.

Ninety nine per cent of the slum dwellers have got electricity under the Bhagya Jyothi Scheme. Yet, kerosene remains the main fuel for cooking.

Since sanitation is poor, a majority of the dwellers regularly suffer from water-borne diseases such as dysentery and anaemia.

While 79 per cent use public lavatories and 12 per cent have toilets at home.

The survey revealed that the inhabitants had come to Bangalore when mega construction projects were started in and around the city.

The board says it has taken up a massive rehabilitation programme for the slum dwellers at a cost of Rs. 33.05 crore.

The new rehabilitation complex is expected to come up at Sareguvenahalli.

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