Established in 1995, JANA SAHAYOG is a human rights education and urban slum resource centre. It is engaged in assisting slum people in 7 cities in Karnataka. Its first intervention was Slum Jagatthu, a news magazine that involves people in slums to influence policies and programmes that affect them. This is now independently run by a group of people from the slums.

JANA SAHAYOG is also in the process of becoming independent. It has submitted the application under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act and the process is in progress. The main objectives of this urban resource centre are:

to establish itself as a human rights education and urban resource centre for slum people and other stakeholders associated with slum improvement, including government departments

to establish organised contacts between slum people and other stakeholders through information interventions and collective actions

to use media and cultural skills in slum youths to address slum issues

to assist people in slums in effectively using mainstream media (print & electronic) as a tool to influence policies and programmes

Highlights 2002

348 Families Rehabilitated :

Three hundred and forty eight families living along the railway track have been rehabilitated due to the joint intervention of APSA, SSD and JANA SAHAYOG - 319 families from Havadi slum, 22 from Sweepers Colony and seven from Shamanna have moved to newly-built houses in Laggere.

Land Dispute Resolved :

A land dispute between the Slum Board and private land owners was resolved when the Joint Action Committee and JS intervened. The Slum Board allotted a budget for the construction of 60 houses for Srakari Oni slum in Vijayanagar and 35 houses for Kadapaswamy mutt slum.

Land-grabbing Attempt Thwarted :

Attempts to grab Jail Quarters slum land and Madhuvan slum land in Mysore, Tamil Colony slum land in Mandya and Vasanthpur slum land, were brought to public notice, and thwarted. Efforts to prevent the land grabbing is in progress.

Slum Demolitions Prevented :

JANA SAHAYOG intervened to prevent the demolition of a number of slums: Heggadenagar slum in Davanagere, Padarayanapura, Chaluvappa and Gangappa garden slums in Bangalore.

PIL Against Land Bank Scheme Judgment :

JANA SAHAYOG assisted the editor of Slum Jagatthu to file a PIL against adverse single bench judgment on the Land Bank Scheme of 1990. The case has been admitted and is presently with the Division Bench, High Court of Karnataka.

KEY LEARNINGS:

In collaboration with SAMUHA PLAN, Jana Sahayog conducted a survey on the number of Bangalore slums dominated by people from north Karnataka. The study revealed that people from north Karnataka occupy 66 slums and live in terrible conditions without access to basic amenities. There is a need for a separate project to address their problems.

A local contractor who has taken up the construction of houses in Chitradurga handed Rs. 25,000 to the family members of Papanna, JS Coordinator, in his absence. This was a bribe so he would not raise questions on the quality of the construction work. Papanna refused to accept the money and was threatened by goondas. A police complaint has been registered. Unfortunately, the contractor succeeded in bribing an active member of the Joint Action Forum of Slum Dwellers with Rs 10,000. The committee has split subsequently.