1512 residents of Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Quarters Koramangala Bangalore were displaced when 3 of the 42 blocks built by BBMP on a 13 acre BBMP plot collapsed in 2003 and 2007. After the first block collapsed in 2003, BBMP evacuated residents into temporary tin sheds, pending demolition and reconstruction of the quarters. Privatization and a conflict over construction contracts between private builders has delayed reconstruction since then, while the EWS Quarters have continued to live in these flimsy tin sheds, facing severe problems of flooding during the rain, overheating in the sun, a lack of toilets, and unstable electricity connections. Now they face eviction as the builders wish to claim the land for commercial purposes despite not having reconstructed residential quarters after 8 years! Sign this petition to show your support for resisting this eviction. The EWS quarters residents must be reinstated in secure BBMP housing without any privatization or land grab by corporate builders! Full background: In 1983-84, the Bangalore City Corporation (now BBMP) with the Assistance of HUDCO formulated a scheme for construction of 1512 residential flats in about 22 acres of land in Koramangala, Bangalore, and ten years later it called for applications for allotments of these housing units for lease or sale. Another ten years later in 2003 when Block No.13 of the EWS Quarters collapsed injuring many leading to the displacement of about 36 families, BBMP decided to relocate those residents to temporary tin sheds in a portion of the same land while the buildings were demolished and reconstructed. Around the year 2004, the BBMP took the decision to develop the area and build residential and commercial structures through a joint venture and assured the residents that they would be rehabilitated in the newly built residential quarters. This decision was not communicated to residents; they were merely asked to evacuate for demolition and reconstruction of flats for the original allottees. Meanwhile a majority of these structurally unstable flats had been rented or leased out by the original allottees, mostly to people from the most marginalized sections of the society which included Dalits, Linguistic and Religious minorities. After their protests, the BBMP resolution was modified in 2004 so that all those in actual possession would be allotted dwelling flats after reconstruction irrespective of whether they were original allottees or not, and accordingly certificates of residence and biometric cards were issued to residents. In 2007 more blocks of the original building collapsed injuring many people who were still living there and resulting in the death of a one and a half year old infant Mahalakshmi and 30 year old Perumal. On 10th August 2007, a young boy named Siddique died as a consequence of electrocution when he accidently came into contract with a livewire in one of the collapsed structures. Yet again on 9th November 2007, a block collapsed causing the death of two children, Xavier aged 10 years and Gabriel aged 12 years. Now all residents of EWS quarters were moved into the tin sheds. In 2011 WP No.45915/2011 was filed by Smt. S.Meena and others seeking for the State Government to make funds available for reconstructing the flats. As a result of this process, an agreement was signed with Maverick Holdings & Investments Private Limited and the BBMP for the former to construct a residential complex for the original allottees consisting of ground plus nine floors and covering about 7½ acres, whereby Maverick would also get a portion of the land to put up and profit from a commercial building in the remaining 7½ acres facing the Koramangala 80 feet road. The construction of new housing units has also been stalled as another builder, Akriti City Ltd opposed the deal with Maverick in court, saying that their bid was higher during the bidding for contracts. In fact, the honourable court in W.P. No.45915/2001 had in its order dated 10/07/2012 held that the Division Bench in W.P. No.11912/2008 on the matter of reconstructed housing did not permit the BBMP to enter into any contract with third parties for the reconstruction of flats and that the entering into such a contract between the BBMP and the third party prima facie appeared to be in contempt of the order of the Division Bench dated 12/02/2009. In addition it has now come to the attention of the residents of the tin sheds that this Honourable court has passed an order in Writ Petition No.45915/2011 dated 24th August 2012 directing that only the 1512 original allottees shall be entitled to the newly constructed houses and that all occupants should be evicted from the present site after 8th October 2012. By virtue of this, about 1300 families will be evicted from the tin sheds without receiving any rehabilitation. It is pertinent to point out that the order of this Honourable court is based on a compromise entered into between some of the original allottees who were petitioners before the High Court, the BBMP and the Private Builder. The agreement was signed by only a few of the original allottees. This undemocratic eviction of EWS quarters residents must be stopped and they must be reinstated in the reconstructed quarters by BBMP without any privatization or siphoning off of the land by corporate builders!!!