HLRN publishes a report on the eviction impact in a EWS settlement in India

Publish Date: 
Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), part of the Habitat International Coalition, collaborated with two other organizations, Fields of View and the Forum against EWS Land Grab, in order to conduct a study and produce an impact assessment on the current, negative effects of forceful eviction. They focus their attention on the 2013 forced evictions of over 1,500 families in the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) settlement of Ejipura/Koramangala, Bengaluru in India. The government did so without due process nor providing any alternative housing, resettlement, or compensation. These organizations noted the continuance of suffering of the evicted persons and evaluated the long-term repercussions of forceful evictions on the families.

This report presents the findings of the study while documenting the current living conditions of the affected community. Researchers have found that there has been a 7% reduction in the monthly household income, accompanied by a 6% increase in monthly household expenditure by. To survive, families are adopting different strategies, such as reducing food consumption or not visiting hospitals. It also states that only 42% of the families surveyed currently have permanent housing.

The report also makes recommendations to the Government of Karnataka to provide immediate restitution to the affected families, to guarantee the human right to adequate housing, and to prevent further forced evictions. ​

HLRN developed a human rights-based ‘Eviction Impact Assessment (EvIA) Tool’ to quantify the material and non-material losses and costs incurred as a result of forced eviction. The HLRN EvIA Tool draws its origin from the UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacement, which call for an ‘eviction impact assessment’ to be carried out before any planned eviction by state and non-state actors.

The HLRN tool could be used as a mechanism to prevent evictions, and in cases where evictions have already taken place, to ensure just and adequate restitution, rehabilitation, and compensation. The tool aims to assess both material (ex: loss of property and household items) and non-material (ex: loss of education and healthcare) costs/losses incurred during a forced eviction. The tool can be adapted to the local situation and can be used to determine the real impacts of an eviction on individuals, families, the community and society.

The HLRN recently published another report, From Deluge to Displacement: The Impact of Post-flood Evictions and Resettlement in Chennai, on forced evictions in Chennai, India in collaboration with the Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC). After receiving reports of human rights violations and the absence of due process in the relocation of flood-affected families, IRCDUC and HLRN conducted a primary research study in various resettlement sites. The study presents the findings of a human rights-based analysis of the forced eviction and relocation of flood-affected communities in the city. It also makes recommendations to the Government of Tamil Nadu to ensure restitution of the human rights of affected persons and to prevent future evictions in the state.

Please read the full report on forced evictions in Bengaluru here.

Please read the full report on evictions and resettlement in Chennai here.

For more information on the tool please visit this website.