CHENNAI: The Perumbakkam resettlement site was bustling with excitement on Saturday and Sunday with the ‘Inter Slum Olympics’ taking off with the lighting of the ‘Olympic torch’ on Saturday, keeping with Olympic traditions.
On Saturday and Sunday, around 500 residents between the ages of 18 and 35, participated in carrom board, chess, shot put, sack race, athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, skipping, throwball and cricket events.
The programme was jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) and Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT).
Winners will be awarded prizes on Tuesday and their names will be recommended to the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu for free coaching in the sport that they excel in, said TNSCB officials.
Manigandan G, a 24 year-old food delivery boy, who was resettled from Besant Nagar,won the shot put.
“I did not go to work for the last two days to participate in these matches. I used to do well in shot put and javelin throw in high school but later my parents discouraged sports because they wanted me to concentrate on studies,” he said. Sporting events for women is to be held on Monday.
Twenty-five-year-old Surya S led his ‘Abdul Kalam memorial’ team to victory in the volleyball match.
An awareness programme on the prevention of drug abuse will be held on May 30 and 31. Sporting events will also be held in resettlement sites at Navalur and Gudapakkam following this, officials said.