Chennai: Discrimination of the Narikuruvar community is evident at Tambaram, where the revenue department of Kancheepuram district earmarked lands for the eviction procedure without leaving a prior intimation notice.
As many as 150 Narikuruvar families, residing at Mappedu village since four generations, are living in constant fear as the officials from Tambaram Taluk marked the lands for the road extension project recently. Indicating the bias against the community, the revenue department, which informed the traders about the eviction, was not bothered to do the same to the community people here.
“Officials marking and measuring our lands, has become a regular affair since five years. We are given no notification, as the officials do not consider us as residents,” said A. Vijay Kumar, the community head.
Residents have unanimously opposed the eviction procedure, as they assert that there were never any talks held about their resettlement.
“The government has decided to build roads, within the breadth of 200 meters here. The new road will cut through the village and the eviction is a compulsory thing. Many houses in the locality have temporary pattas, and are clueless, if there are lands allotted after eviction,” said Vijay Kumar.
Reeling under extremely unhygienic situations, the community faces an extra burden of official apathy. Even though they had been long-time residents of the locality, they express willingness to vacate if there is an assurance of a good future.
“If the government provides us with a house and basic facilities, we would be willing to move. However, we need to stay within our community as our livelihood is mostly here,” said T. Rajeshwari, resident of the place for 25 years.
Most of the families are not provided with ration cards and special documents for the group that would facilitate them to avail funds from the government. Heaps of garbage and compromising restrooms, speak enough about the poor hygienic conditions.
“The school dropout ratio among their children is extremely high. When there are so many issues that need to be dealt with within the community, negligence from the government is a rude shocker,” said S. Siddharth, a social worker from Madras Christian College, who is working on the progress of the community.
“In this case, the provisions of National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007, are not followed as notice should be pasted and resettlement should be discussed. The gram sabha, which periodically conducts meetings for backward communities, does not work for the Narikuruvars,” said S. Sudharsan, assistant professor, department of social work, Madras Christian College.
