Why this double standards on eviction drive, ask slum dwellers near guindy

A few residents attempted to block traffic on the busy GST Road near Maraimalai Adigalar bridge as they demanded speedy restoration of their damaged homes, so that they could return to their normal lives.

“We have been asked to leave relief centres but we don’t have a roof to call our home. The government’s compensation has not reached us yet but already they are asking us to get out. We don’t know where to go and they have not allotted us houses elsewhere,” said Suresh Kumar, one of the protestors.

A few claimed that their anxiety was triggered after city corporation and revenue department officials visited their slums on Friday night and ordered them to ‘be ready’ for eviction on Saturday morning. The eviction did not happen but the disquiet among residents was palpable.

However, the Mambalam-Guindy revenue division Tahsildar denied his or of his staff’s involvement in the Friday night eviction drama. The dwellers then reached out to former Mayor M. Subramanian, who questioned the authorities’ allegiance. “There are around 600 families living in Old and New Nagireddy Thottam and they are being harassed by the officials. Strangely, there is a private property developer who is building apartments much closer to the Adyar river than the Nagi Reddy settlers. The corporation has not asked them to stop construction,” he said. “Also, the settlers have not been served eviction notices,” he added.

Joint general secretary of ExNoRa International, R. Govindaraj, who was involved in giving out relief material to affected settlers from this locality told DC that the slum dwellers were rattled because there was no clarity regarding the eviction. “I have been dealing with many families who were lodged at the relief centre in Little Mount. They are worried about the future of their children because the government has not come clean on where they will be relocated to,” he said.

“Even otherwise, one cannot help but doubt that there could be some sort of pressure from various quarters as the building promoters are nearing completion of construction and having the slum settlements there is an eyesore for buyers,” he added.

When DC contacted ward 170 engineer Sridhar for comment, he listened to the questions patiently before disconnecting. Thereafter, Sridhar or his superiors could not be reached for comment.