CHENNAI: On March 6, Mariammal Babu (50), a woman from the Irular (Scheduled Tribe) community, died at her hutment near Sriperumbudur without realising her dream of living in a permanent house promised to her around three years ago by the Kancheepuram district administration.
Mariammal is among the 11 Irulars who have died without realising their dream of setting foot inside a permanent house despite getting land allotted to them with a promise of permanent houses at least three years ago. With the Kancheepuram district administration, which has been blamed for the inordinate delay, finally beginning the preliminary construction work earlier this month, the families are hoping for swift completion of the construction without further delays.
Since November 2021, at least 80 Irular families living in temporary structures near waterbodies across Sriperumbudur have received pattas from the state government. This came with an assurance of permanent houses to be built under multiple schemes for STs.
However, they continue to live in their huts without access to electricity, basic sanitation and in the constant fear of getting bitten by snakes and bugs. During monsoon, as water levels rise, they are forced to abandon their homes and relocate to relief centres.
The land titles have been given at two villages: Mannur, near the office of a global logistics firm, and in Katrambakkam, at an existing colony of houses for Irulars, near the Chembarambakkam Lake’s western tip.
The titles in Mannur were given to 44 families in April 2022, but work to lay the foundation started only last week. Similarly, around 10 days ago, the district administration started work on construction of houses at the Katrambakkam site, where titles were given in November 2021, a senior official said, assuring that the houses will be handed over in six months.
This was after multiple representations made by the Sriperumbudur Irular Makkal Nala Sangam (People’s welfare organisation) and NGO Aran to the state and union government’s tribal affairs ministry. The latter has sent multiple communications to the TN government based on Aran’s representation seeking resolution to the issue.
A senior Kancheepuram district official said the delay was because patta was given in a rural area, while the beneficiaries lived in the urban town panchayat.
A key issue flagged by the activists was regarding construction of houses under state government’s Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam Scheme. They said the realistic budget for construction exceeded by around Rs 2 lakh more than the government allocated amount of Rs 3.5 lakh for each house. This has led the families to take loans that they cannot repay. They have petitioned the administration to build homes under another suitable government scheme, in which they don’t have to bear any additional cost.
Acknowledging the funding issue raised by activists, the official said they plan to seek CSR funds from corporates in Sriperumbudur.
Kavitha Thandhoni (23), president of the Irular organisation and daughter of one of the beneficiaries, said the delays have been frustrating. She also pointed out that there are multiple other issues in the process that are yet to be resolved.
For instance, many beneficiaries have not received communication about the patta, Kavitha said. Families in which the beneficiaries have died are worried about how the process will now pan out, Kavitha said.
“Also, we requested that the houses be handed over before the start of the academic year so that it would be seamless for schoolgoing children,” she added.
Construction budget exceeded by Rs 2 lakh
A key issue flagged by activists was regarding construction of houses under Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam scheme. They said the budget for construction exceeded the government allocated amount for each house by around Rs 2 lakh. This has led the families to take loans that they cannot repay. They have petitioned the administration to build homes under another scheme.