THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when the entire machinery is fighting the pandemic and struggling to enforce social distancing norms, hundreds of migrant workers are illegally living in cramped and congested housing units under deplorable conditions at Karimadom Colony. The unauthorised inhabitation of the migrant workers were exposed following the flooding at the colony after the recent incessant summer showers.

Many residents at the colony raised complaints that flats in the colony are being illegally rented out to migrant labourers. Around 20 to 40 people are living in cramped and congested housing units at the colony and using the same toilets violating social distancing norms. It is learnt that over 300 migrant workers are living in various housing units in Karimadom Colony, which were constructed by the city corporation as part of the basic services to urban poor (BSUP) scheme.

With the pandemic looming large and the approaching monsoon, the district administration has asked civic authorities to immediately evacuate the flats and take action against the owners who have rented out the flats illegally under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

Deputy Collector, Disaster Management, Anu S Nair said that it is high time that the civic body took action against these violators. “The Karimadom Colony was inundated in the recent rain and a team from the district administration visited the affected places. We came to know about people living illegally at the colony and have issued an order directing the civic body to take immediate action against the owners and evict the migrant workers. We also realised that a huge sum was being collected from the workers as rent and around 20 people were living in a single room,” said Anu.

He said that the migrant workers should be moved to the camps set up in the wake of the pandemic to ensure their safety. “We will be taking up this matter seriously and will initiate action if the civic body doesn’t execute our order,” he added. There are over 1,000  families are residing at the colony.However, the city corporation has no solid plans to take any immediate action. Manacaud ward councillor Simi Jyothish said that she has brought it to the notice of the civic body several times in the past. “The colony is overpopulated and drainage issues recur owing to illegal residents. We will take up this issue strongly in the council tomorrow,” said Simi.

Health Standing Committee chairman I P Binu said that it’s a sensitive issue and impossible to take any sudden action. “The civic body is on the toes tackling the Covid-19 situation. There are quarantine camps and we are doing everything to keep the situation under control,” said Binu. He said that notices have been served on the owners of the units who have violated the agreement with the civic body. “The workers are paying Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 as rent to the owners. We will be serving them another notice very soon. Families who have received the flats are not allowed to rent or sell them,” he added.

in a nutshell
The district administration has asked civic authorities to immediately evict the flats and take action against the owners under the Epidemic Diseases Act. However, the city corporation seems to have no solid plans to take any immediate action.