CHENNAI: The 'Our Tenements, Our Responsibility' scheme went live on Monday, with residents of Athipattu resettlement colony in Ambattur electing their first Resident Welfare Association members on Sunday in the poll conducted by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (THUHDB) and the Chennai city police in association with NGOs.
As per G.O. 55 passed by the State government on July 17, 2021, the main aim of the scheme was to create a mechanism to ensure cordial interaction between officials and residents in resettlement colonies established across the state to rehabilitate people evicted during encroachment drives. As per the order, maintenance charge will be collected from the residents of these projects to improve infrastructure facilities and to carry out routine water and electricity maintenance work. “The state government will provide a matching grant for the money collected from the residents,” said M Govinda Rao, Managing Director, State Urban Habitat Development Board.
A monthly maintenance charge of `250 will be collected from each resident at Athipattu. "There were incidents of argument with officials who went to collect money as residents complained of poor maintenance and infrastructure. Now the residents’ association will collect the money and make sure those demands are met," said a senior official from TNUHDB. About 1,472 families live in 46 blocks in these tenements, one of the largest resettlement facilities in Chennai.
In the poll on Sunday, a team led by R S Murugan trumped S Krishnakumar and team by winning 541 of 854 votes.
Two NGOs, Our Shoulder Foundation and Phoenix Foundation, were roped in by the TNUHDB to help with the poll campaign and educate residents on the roles and responsibilities of the association
B Renugadevi Murugan of Phoenix Foundation and G Manickabharathi of Our Shoulder Foundation were involved in educating the residents over the past six months about the association. "Once they register as welfare association, residents can meet officials of the board in person to raise their demands," said Renugadevi, who has been staying in the colony for the past six months to ensure the smooth completion of the poll.
"We have prior experience in behavioural correction and have worked with the Social Defence department. Since our specialization is rehabilitation of children in conflict with the law, we were called to work with the police department to improve the living condition of the youth here," Manickabharathi said.
Speaking to TNIE, inspector Mallika of Ambattur Industrial Estate police station said the association will help them make the colony more police-friendly. Over 45 men including juveniles have been arrested over the past six months from the tenement for various crimes. To keep students occupied, a new boys club is being built near the residence and an isolated land used for consuming drugs is being converted into a playground, Mallika said.
S Gayathri, a first-generation graduate, said, "On the one side, officials ignore our requests and make living conditions horrible and on the other side youth of the colony are dragged into criminal activities due to unemployment. Hopefully, the associations will build a bridge between bureaucrats and residents"
M Manohar, 45, a truck driver, said the behaviour of a few has created bad name for their entire colony. "If our demands are not met, association members will be held accountable as they live amongst us," he said.