CHENNAI: About 300 fishermen from Nochikuppam village near Marina Beach were detained after they protested against the decision to allot quarters to residents of Dooming Kuppam. They were detained in a marriage hall and released by 6 pm.
On Sunday morning, the villagers protested demanding the allotment of 320 houses to residents of Nochikuppam. When talks failed, the police detained the protesters. On Friday, some residents had occupied the empty quarters and demanded the withdrawal of allotment to Dooming Kuppam residents.
The Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHB) constructed the tenements for residents of Nochikuppam near Loop Road. Recently, the officials decided to allocate these tenements to residents of Dooming Kuppam also, which angered Nochikuppam residents. The protesters from Nochikuppam gathered near the housing quarters after tokens were allotted to people from Dooming Kuppam and Srinivasapuram.
Officials said the tenements in Dooming Kuppam were damaged in January 2023. A total of 320 houses have been allotted for them so that their current place of residence can be demolished and reconstructed, said officials.
Many protesters alleged that the authorities were purposefully making it harder for families from Nochikuppam to qualify for housing after their recent protest against the Madras High Court’s order to remove them from Loop Road. The protesters alleged that the officials were quoting building damage in Dooming Kuppam and allotted only 534 houses for Nochikuppam residents. While 11 blocks meant for residents of Nochikuppam are complete, buildings meant to house residents of other villages are still under construction.
The construction began in 2014. A total of 1,188 dwelling units have been constructed so far, west of Loop Road. Out of them, around 320 are occupied by those who lost homes in the 2004 tsunami. Out of the total, 320 houses are reserved for residents of Dooming Kuppam.