THOOTHUKUDI: The district administration, during the 2020-2021 fiscal, commenced the construction of houses for 28 trans persons at Perurani in Thimmarajapuram panchayat. Five years later, the structures are now mostly half-built, some stuck in the brickwork phase, with the construction having come to a grinding halt seemingly due to a lack of funds. Sources said the unfinished structures have also turned into a den for anti-social activities.
Senior officials from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) told TNIE that they are awaiting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for completing the civil works of the project.
Under the Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House Scheme (CMSPGHS), the district administration had allotted the 300-sq-ft houses and distributed patta to the trans persons. Though Rs 2.1 lakh was sanctioned for each house, the construction has been halted midway, with several structures yet to receive cement plaster.
Aarthi, one of the beneficiaries, said the panchayat union officials had assured to complete the work using CSR funds, however, it has not been done yet. “We have no money and are jobless,” she added.
Another beneficiary, Samira, told TNIE that, alongside the pending electrical and solar panel works, doors, windows, and water connections have not been installed, leaving the structures open to trespassers. Local youths use the structures to consume alcohol and litter the area, she added.
Rejiya, another trans person, said the unfinished buildings have been weakened due to the direct exposure over the years and might require reconstruction. Other beneficiaries noted that despite the allotment of the houses, they continue to stay in rental homes.
“We are finding it difficult to pay the rent,” they said, adding that the government must provide them employment as well. The trans persons also appealed to the district administration to complete the civil and electrical works, so that they could shift soon.
DRDA Project Director and Additional Collector R Aishwarya told TNIE that they are finding revenue sources, likely CSR funds, to complete the works.