CHENNAI: The State government is planning to make all resettlement schemes as integrated townships possessing adequate social and physical infrastructure.
This comes after the government constituted a high-level committee chaired by the Chief Secretary to resolve infrastructural issues in large resettlement schemes implemented by Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board. This could mean that woes of people, who have been resettled far away from the city, could be minimised with the construction of hospitals, bus terminii, police stations, government educational institutions as well as stormwater drains and by providing quality drinking water.
It is learnt that during a recent meeting the Chief Secretary asked the Slum Clearance Board to coordinate with related departments or agencies so that all resettlement schemes were planned as integrated townships.
Sources said the slum rehabilitation and resettlement schemes being implemented by the Slum Clearance Board at Okkiam Thoraipakkam, Semmencheri and Perumbakkam consist of large number of tenements.
“Each scheme is akin to a mini-township which needs to be provided with all the basic social and physical infrastructure,” the Chief Secretary said in the meeting.
Also, the State was taking efforts to hand over vacant 2,298 tenements at Okkium Thoraipakkam and 4,731 tenements at Perumbakkam to those living in objectionable areas.
The Chennai Corporation has been directed to finalise the list of eligible beneficiaries in consultation with Public Works Department and prepare biometric cards and other data of encroachers residing in objectionable areas, which would mean an eviction drive would soon be carried out by the Corporation. Interestingly, those resettled at Okkiam Thoraipakkam, Semmencheri and Perumbakkam could soon be getting quality water as Metro Water has been asked to ensure that drinking water and sewerage system in all the three schemes should be designed for the population by Metro Water.
There were plans to have a Government Arts and Science College at Perumbakkam over an extent of six acres of land and the Chief Ssecretary has asked the higher education department to initiate action in this regard.