CHENNAI: Holding that the law has been enacted to effectively arrest the growth of slums, which are not fit for human habitation, the Madras High Court has upheld the action of Greater Chennai Corporation in evicting people living on Konnur High Road at Otteri.
Justice S Vaidyanathan, who upheld the eviction while disposing of a batch of writ petitions from the slum dwellers, directed the authorities concerned to hand over the token/key to eligible petitioners within five days. Immediately on receipt of the token/key, the eligible petitioners shall vacate the premises in question. Others, who are not eligible for alternative sites, shall vacate the slums on their own, within a month.
The petitioners, who refuse to receive the allotment order, will not be shown any indulgence and they can be removed within 10 days time.
After hearing arguments of Advocate-General Vijay Narayan, assisted by Special Government Pleader S Diwahar, the judge made it clear that if any rejection order is passed by officials to any of the petitioners, they can challenge the same. However, this will not give them any right to continue to live in the said place. Even if they challenge and succeed, they will be entitled to any other alternative site and they cannot be allowed to continue in the place, the judge added.
Whenever the TN Slum Clearance Board allots tenements to anyone, details of the persons who are residing in the slum, i.e. their photographs along with the allotment orders shall be displayed in the residence. The officials can be authorised to conduct surprise inspections and take photographs/videograph of the persons who are residing in the tenements.
The petitioners, who are allotted alternative accommodation shall not rent out such premises to third parties. Only allottees and their families are entitled to reside there.
In case the allottees are found renting or leasing out the tenements to third persons, they shall be immediately evicted and the board shall allot such tenements to other allottees. Every year in May, the allottees should inform the Housing Board/Slum Clearance Board about the details of residents and relationship with the allotees, failing which, action can be initiated to evict the allotees residing in the tenements. It is open to the authorities to verify the relationship of the residents with the allottees. If the statement given by the allotee is found to be false, the allotment shall stand automatically cancelled, the judge said.
The judge also passed a similar order on another writ petition from Nancy praying for a direction to the board not to evict her from the slum area at No.12, Karunanidhi Nagar, presently known as Theedir Nagar on Greams Road at Thousand Lights.
In addition, the judge said the board shall take necessary steps to accommodate the petitioner’s children in appropriate schools, be it a private school or a corporation one, preferably in and around Ambattur or Thirumazhisai, within three days.