In their long fight against land sharks enjoying the patronage of the previous DMK regime, residents of Angammal Colony in Salem city have reasons to cheer with the Madras High Court directing the TN Electricity Board to provide power connections within a week on receipt of fresh applications from them.
About 50 families were forcibly evicted in a midnight operation from the locality in the heart of Salem city. Late DMK Minister Veerapandi Arumugham was arrested in this case. While the residents got back their houses with the government’s help, TNEB disconnected their power connections.
Justice D Hariparanthaman gave the direction while passing interim orders on a writ petition from the residents on July 15 after TNEB submitted that it would provide connection using ration cards or passbooks under clause 27(4) of the TN Electricity Distribution Code.