The Chennai Corporation has resumed biometric identification of slum dwellers along the margins of 16 micro drains in the city this week.
The work was suspended following opposition from councillors a few weeks ago. Biometric identification was launched in slum areas along the Mambalam canal but the Chennai Corporation suspended it following opposition from councillors.
They opposed it alleging that the list prepared by the previous government had failed to include several beneficiaries.
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The Corporation also started a verification drive of beneficiaries and the work is expected to resume in Mambalam Canal only after a revised beneficiaries' list is prepared if the allegation of the councillors is found to be true.
However, the work resumed on Monday along micro drains in north Chennai where there is not much opposition to biometric identification.
Eviction of encroachments along canals and roads in the city was proposed to begin in April but the suspension of biometric identification has affected resettlement proposal before the new academic year that began last week. The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board had asked the Chennai Corporation to carry out the scheduled eviction of slum dwellers along canals and road margins before the beginning of the academic year to avoid problems pertaining to school admissions for students in such families.
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According to complaint made by the councillors of wards through which the Mambalam canal passes, a large portion of 2,500 residents identified along the Mambalam Canal with were no longer residing in the slums.
The Chennai Corporation will complete the process of issuing smart cards comprising data on 10 fingerprints, iris and photograph this month. Encroachers who receive smart cards would be eligible for alternative accommodation by the TNSCB.
Canals such as Mambalam, Captain Cotton, Vysarpadi, Kodungaiyur, Jawahar, MGR, Egankipuram, Jafferkhanpet, Guindy Estate, Chellamal, Nungambakkam, Trustpuram, Raj Bhavan, Reddikuppam and TVS canals would be improved after the resettlement and rehabilitation of the encroachers.