CHENNAI: B Delay on the part of government officials has left 150 families residing by the Cooum at Radhakrishnan Nagar in Arumbakkam huddled in a community hall, their homes of 50 years in hip-deep water and their possessions ruined after the river breached its banks over the weekend. Officials had issued them tokens in September and assured resettlement in three weeks but failed to follow through.
Meanwhile the residents have lost their belongings, life savings, and hope. When contacted on Tuesday, Corporation officials still claimed tokens are being sorted out for eligible families and they would be resettled “soon”.
This is small consolation to 35-year-old Selvi* who spent Friday night, when rains battered the city, watching the water levels in her home rise. By morning, the water was up to her neck. Just minutes after Corporation personnel rescued her family, she saw her thatched house vanish beneath the water. Only on Tuesday did the water start to recede.
At the community hall, most residents don’t even have a change of clothes. “We have nowhere to go. Once the water recedes fully, there will be at least 3-4 ft of slush and silt in our houses. It will take a week to clean up, and we’ll then have to find out if any valuables were stolen. Our belongings have already been destroyed. We want to move out before the next spell of rains,” said one of them.
Yet, doubts remain as to whether officials who’ve delayed resettling the community since July will act swiftly now. “There are 150 houses on this side of the Cooum, and 93 on the other. We came here 50 years ago, and people started occupying the other side about five years back. We were shocked when the government relocated those 93 families before us,” said Ibrahim Basha, one of the residents.
‘Tokens issued in Sept, but no relocation happened’
The 93 families were moved to the KP Park tenements at Pulianthope as part of the first round of evictions on July 29. "At that time, the government said we did not need to be resettled as they would build a drain to prevent flooding. But later they said no drain would be constructed and we too would be moved 'soon'. Later we realised, they'd promised a drain just to stop us from protesting," alleged Ibrahim.
After residents protested several times in September, they were issued tokens for resettlement, and told they would be moved in three weeks. Yet October turned November, and no relocation happened. When the November rains started, the residents were sitting ducks.
"On November 6-7, when it rained incessantly, I was standing all night to protect my child from drowning. The area is now infested with snakes and insects. We were ready to forego our homes of 50 years, but the authorities' inaction has left us helpless," said Lakshmi, another resident. As rains continued, the community was left without electricity for 14 days in November. Yet, it was only on Saturday when water rose neck-high that officials stirred to action.
‘Govt gave us false promise’
Residents said that during the first round of evictions, the govt said they don’t need to shift as a drain would be built. “Later we realised, they’d promised a drain just to stop us from protesting,” they added
(*Name changed)