If you are taking time to form a policy, pay them some lumpsum amount: Karnataka HC in migrant workers eviction matter

The state government today assured the Karnataka High Court that it would come up with a scheme for rehabilitation of migrant workers who were recently displaced by the authorities, within a week. The migrant workers were illegally evicted from their homes in Bengaluru earlier this year, on the pretext of being "illegal Bangladeshi immigrants"..While passing its order, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Sreeniwas Oka and Justice SR Krishna Kumar observed,"If you are taking time to form a policy, pay them some lumpsum amount.".Counsel appearing for the state informed the Court that pursuant to a meeting that was conducted, the claimants have agreed to the rehabilitation policy in principle..In its order, the Court also allowed Karnataka Legal Services Authority (KLSA) to implead itself in the matter and further stated that it would be appropriate if KLSA attended the upcoming meetings..The Court held that the presence of KLSA would facilitate the overall process of coming up with a scheme. It additionally directed KLSA to place on record the survey carried out by Women and Child welfare Development Department with regard to those persons affected by the eviction drive carried by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and State Police..It was further brought to the attention of the Court that 325 persons have come forward with their claims. In this regard, the Court directed the state to find out other affected persons as well..The matter is next listed for March 13..Recently, the Karnataka High Court had directed the state government to come up with a comprehensive scheme to rehabilitate migrant workers who were forcefully evicted from their homes in Bangalore earlier this year. .In January, the Karnataka High Court had passed an interim stay on the demolition drive purportedly conducted by civic body BBMP and the Bengaluru Police. The BBMP had reportedly undertaken the demolition drive after receiving information about "illegal Bangladeshi immigrants" living around Bengaluru's Bellandur area. It was later discovered that these workers were in fact migrant labourers from different parts of the country.