Residents from five fishing hamlets across the southern part of the city staged a demonstration in front of the Mylapore-Triplicane taluk office on Thursday, demanding houses. The agitators said they lost their houses and livelihood in the December 2004 tsunami but no effort was made to provide them adequate means of livelihood.
As part of the protest, women from the fishing hamlets in Thiruvanmiyur, Oorur, Olcott, Odai and Odaimanagar brought stoves and pots and cooked food on the road near the taluk office. The protestors said they had submitted petitions about their demands to several officials in the last four years.
In November 2007, Officer on Special Duty for Tsunami Rehabilitation C.V. Sankar had assured that title deeds would be given to the affected families.
Treasurer of Coastal Community Protection Movement R. John Chokkanathan said, “In all other places that were affected by the tsunami, fishermen have been provided houses. We have met all District Collectors who promised to look into the issue, but nothing has happened.”
Head of self-help groups in Thiruvanmiyur P. Kalaivani said “They identified land for building houses but no effort was made to take it further.” The protestors also wanted the government to increase the aid disbursed to them during the 45-day mandatory fishing ban.
