Process set in motion for rehabilitating Bidar nomads

Officials visit them and give an assurance about providing alternative housing facilities

Over 150 families belonging to different nomadic communities, who have settled on a private land at Naubad area in Bidar for decades, heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday after officials of the Backward Classes Welfare Department visited their colony and assured them of housing facilities on government lands.

A report was published recently in The Hindu on how these nomadic communities were spending sleepless nights owing to the alleged threat of eviction by landowners.

Participating in a meeting organised by the Janwadi Mahila Sangathan in the colony, District Officer of the department Venkatesh Hogibandi told the nomads that he had already written to the Deputy Commissioner requesting him to grant government lands for building houses for them. He also assured them that he would see that the landowners would not force them to vacate the place until alternative housing arrangements were made. “We have already written to DC H.R. Mahadev requesting him to grant government lands at Gornalli for constructing houses for the Naubad nomadic communities. Mr. Mahadev has taken the issue seriously and is keen on making alternative housing arrangements on government lands. I hope that the lands would be handed over to our department shortly. Once the lands are transferred, we will start the process of building houses after obtaining approval from higher-ups in the department,” he said.

Acknowledging the sincere and selfless efforts made by a MSW graduate and social activist Sharada Malage in getting Aadhaar cards to the Naubad nomadic people, Mr. Hogibandi also assured that he would get ration cards and voter identity cards to the people in the colony at the earliest.When people poured out their difficulties in getting drinking water, Mr. Hogibandi said that he would talk to the Municipal Commissioner for supplying drinking water every day. He also offered to help the nomadic community members in admitting their children studying between Class 6 and 10 to hostels and residential schools run by the government.

“We were literally spending sleepless nights after the landowners threatened us of razing our houses with earthmovers if we didn’t vacate. We have no place to put our tent-houses. Now, after the assurances of officials, we are feeling relieved,” Suresh Devman Giri told The Hindu. He has been staying in the colony for the last 15 years selling scent bottles in the streets of Bidar.

Social activists K. Neela, Reshma Hamsaraj, Isa Begum, and Lakshmi Bavge were present.