Residents and members of various associations launched a signature campaign in Ambattur on Tuesday to mobilise support for their demands for better healthcare and education.
Though there are a few health centres set up by the Chennai Corporation in the zone, Ambattur residents complained that these were inadequate and short-staffed.
R. Mohan, Chennai district president of Uzhaipor Urimai Iyakkam, said there are nearly five lakh residents living between Padi and Tiruvallur and the existing government facilities were not enough to meet their needs. Residents travelled either to the government hospital in the city or to Tiruvallur government hospital for treatment.
Many rely on private hospitals or travel for over an hour to city government hospitals for medical care.
Residents also said much time is lost in transporting accident victims to the city government hospitals as there are no such facilities in the 22-km stretch of the accident-prone Chennai-Tiruvallur High Road between Padi and Thiruninravur.
“We need a 1,000-bed hospital. We are mobilising support for long-pending demands through this campaign. We plan to get signatures of one lakh residents and will hold public meetings in December,” Mr. Mohan said. A few months ago, the residents had held a demonstration about similar issues.
More government higher secondary schools and a government college in Ambattur are other long-pending demands. At present, there is only one government higher secondary school for girls and the government-aided schools do not have the capacity to accommodate all students.
Several children who cannot afford education in private schools either travel to distant schools in Thiruninravur or drop out, residents said. Members of Puratchigara Ilaingnar Kazhagam, Ambattur, said the civic body could upgrade primary or middle schools to cater to more students.
The campaign will continue until February.
