Around 700 residents who live on various poramboke lands in the city took out a rally and gathered in front of the District Collectorate to submit their petitions seeking free house pattas, on Friday.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP, Su. Venkatesan, and Deputy Mayor, T. Nagarajan, along with a few residents, submitted their petitions which included demands to stop eviction of people residing on poromboke lands.
The petitioners said they have been living in the houses constructed on the poramboke lands for about 70 years and have Aadhaar cards, ration cards, power and gas connections, and road and drinking water facilities.
Mr. Nagarajan said that the Collector had promised to hold a review meeting next month after reclassifying the pattas.
“The lands will be classified as natham poramboke, waterbody and waterway poramboke, railway line poramboke, temple poramboke etc.,” said N. Jayachandran, coordinator, Patta Ketpu Kuzhu.
“We have been living here in Vellakal for three generations. I grew up here and will not live elsewhere,” said C Valli, a sixty-eight-year-old woman.
A resident from Meenakshipuram, S. Krishnamoorthy, producing pictures of his house built by his father in 1956 now in ruins demolished by civic officials citing court orders, said that he was given just one hour time to vacate, and had to sacrifice most of their belongings.
“Many people who shifted to the allotted housing boards in Rasakoor, Kalimangalam, Andar Kottaram, Nilayur, which are at least 20 km away from the city, have returned due to lack of basic amenities, especially bus facility,” said Mr. Jayachandran.
“Most people from this area are daily-wage coolies. Relocating to remote areas is not feasible for us,” said K. Pichaipandi, a member of Bibikulam, Mullai Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association.
According to a CPI(M) member, the petitioners are residents of Alangulam, Anaiyur, Anupanadi, Bakiyanathapuram, Bethaniyapuram, Bodi Line, Janaki Nagar, Madakulam, Mudakathan, Meenakshipuram, Muniyandipuram, Muthuramalingapuram in Pykara, Mullai Nagar in Meenambalpuram, Sambakulam, Samayanallur, Solai Azhagar Puram, Sinthamani Rajammaan Nagar, Palanganatham South Street, Puttu Thoppu near Arapalayam, Pudhu Gandhipuram, Rayappan Nagar, Vandiyur, Thathaneri.
