CHENNAI: Around 450 families on East Cooum River Road at Chintadripet were on Friday evicted to be resettled at Perumbakkam under the Cooum River Restoration project.
While only 387 families were enumerated in the joint enumeration carried out last year, surveys conducted recently revealed presence of 450 families.
However, the issue of left-out families has been suitably tackled with a ‘temporary allotment order’, a concept introduced since the evictions at PP Garden, an official said.
“The temporary allotment is signed on the spot by officials of city corporation, PWD and Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) allowing them to occupy houses,” he said.
However, the shifting allowance of Rs 5,000, that the families are entitled to, would be held back until they receive the permanent allotment. Meanwhile, there was unrest at Perumbakkam following altercation between a group of residents evicted from East Cooum River Road and slum board officials.
According to residents, Amal, a 42-year-old resident, was seriously injured in two of his fingers when TNSCB officials, who were undertaking biometric enumeration, allegedly shut the door of the enumeration centre. While the residents demanded compensation, officials refused, leading residents to stage a protest on Nookampalayam Road. The protest went on for an hour until Pallikaranai police intervened.
A Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board official said, “When the man was waiting for biometric enumeration, another person waiting in line had shut the door. Our officials on the spot gave him first aid and took him to the hospital. He is fine now.”