Chennai: In a unique way, the state has discriminated the upper middle class and the rich residing alongside the Adyar river banks. The compensation for flood damage deposited in nationalised banks for the public has been denied for posh houses in select pockets of Nandanam extension, Kottur gardens, Lotus Colony – Nandanam and Kottur garden extension.
More than 5,000 houses along the Adyar river are yet to get the compensation and a few officials have instructed the field staff to focus more on slum pockets and middle class segments and to be serious about the elite, said an informed official.
For instance, there was no proper field enumeration carried out in posh Boat Club, where Chennai’s super rich reside. “We know the fact that Boat Club and Link road suffered the maximum damage during the second phase of Chennai floods, but neither the residents showed interest during enumeration nor our higher officials instructed us to focus in such areas,” admitted a revenue official based in South Chennai.
In some apartments, security guards just turned away the official teams stating that the owners were not in town. “However, we have covered all the major slum pockets in Chennai.”
“Just because of the fact that the super rich and a few IAS officers and judges were residing along Adyar banks near Kotturpuram, the state cannot completely black out the areas.
The rain had devastated both the poor and the rich. The state should treat all flood victims on common grounds,” said S. Thyagarajan, a victim who is yet to receive the relief.
“There are several areas in Korattur, which have been denied compensation by the revenue department so far and there is no proper clarification from the corporation and collectorate officials,” said S. Narasimhan, a resident of Korratur.
