PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry administration inched one step close to finalising its action plan for improving the living standards of the slum and pavement dwellers in the heart of the town, when a high-powered team led by Welfare Minister M Kandasamy inspected the sites on Wednesday.
The minister, along with MLA S P Sivakumar and Special Secretary (Welfare) G Thevaneethi Dhas besides top officials, held the exercise following directions from the Union government in response to a pertinent Supreme Court order.
Dhas noted that most of the dwellers were beneficiaries of the Public Distribution Scheme and had been availing health facilities as well.
Besides, their children had been going to school.
“However, they had no access to public toilets. We will address this issue by making available some special facilities for them,” he said.
The dwellers requested the minister for a house, and identity cards seeking registration under the Pondicherry Unrecognised Labour Welfare Society.
They further demanded free push-carts, as most of them worked in shops where goods had to be carted from one place to another.
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