Flood-hit pour into Bangalore

Civic body fears pressure on infrastructure

Civic body fears pressure on infrastructure

As desperate flood-affected people from north Karnataka migrate to Bangalore in search of a livelihood, the Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) admits migrants will increase the pressure on an overburdened city. However, it also states that there is no way they can be stopped from entering the city, as that would be unconstitutional.

Desperate: A group of flood-affected villagers on the city's streets

"The migration will definitely increase the pressure on Bangaloreans," said BBMP commissioner Bharat Lal Meena. "However, there are no laws to prevent the migration and we (BBMP) don't object to them coming here for shelter and food. But the contractors who employ them should give them accommodation and food." Added H S Uthappa Joint Labor Commissioner of Bangalore, "We should instruct the contractors to pay the workers minimum wage at least and adequate shelter," he said. That is what the migrants are looking for too. As Tavanappa Kurer, who has come to the city from Sindagi in Gulbarga put it, "We aren't here to earn more money and live in luxury. All we want is a job to give us two meals a day."

M R Poojar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) said, "It's the fundamental right of every citizen to move to any part of the country. We can't stop them. We should give the migrants proper instructions instead of only thinking whether the migration will increase crime rates."