After months of opposing evictions, slum dwellers from Muthumariamman Koil Street, Arumbakkam, relocated to the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) tenements in Navalur, in Kancheepuram district, and AIR land in Thiruvottiyur on Friday morning.
The 80-odd families, who lived along the banks of Cooum river, were relocated to the sites as part of the Cooum River Eco-Restoration Project.
Around 7 a.m., all the families had lined up outside their houses with their bags and baggage, as the local policemen and Corporation officials were preparing to cart them to their new homes.
50-year-old Kandavel recalled memories from his childhood. “Three generations in my family have lived here. We all have grown up here and I’m really sad to leave it all behind and move away. But I’m hoping it's for the best,” he said.
A few months ago, all families from the area had submitted petitions to the National and State Human Rights Commissions, National Commission for Women and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to stop the eviction.
Families complained that they were not provided any prior information about relocation nor were they shown the place they will be sent to.
“It was all so sudden and only after we insisted were we told that we will be moved to Perumbakkam. We didn’t want to move. We then urged the officials to include us in the relocation process,” said P. Malarvizhi, a domestic worker.
Following their resistance, officials from the Corporation took the families to see the houses in Navalur and Thiruvottiyur. While 75 families expressed their consent to move to Navalur, seven preferred Thiruvottiyur.
Chose Gudapakkam first
“They wanted to move to the tenements in Gudapakkam initially. But all the houses there are occupied so we couldn’t provide them any place. Now they are content,” a civic official said.
While the families largely seem contented with the relocation, they are worried about losing their jobs.
“I don’t know what I will do in Navalur, as it is way too far away. But we have to work something out,” said Ayyappan, a contractor.
