Hyderabad, July 12 -- There is a similarity between Adivasis and basti dwellers in cities like Hyderabad-while Adivasis protect forests, basti dwellers protect vacant government lands from encroachment. Yet, both are viewed with suspicion and regularly face eviction threats.

In 2017, residents of Bojagutta Basti near Mehdipatnam were relieved after a court ordered the arrest of an MLC claiming land ownership. Many had applied for regularisation under GO Ms No. 58 issued on December 30, 2014. However, the BRS government later announced a 2BHK dignity housing project for around 2,000 families across three colonies-Vivekananda Nagar, Sriram Nagar, and Shivaji Nagar-on the Bojagutta hillock.

This led to a divide among residents-some support...