Chennai: Tension prevailed at Gandhi nagar slum in Sathyamurthy nagar, as a group of corporation officials reached the spot to remove a few houses, identifying them as encroachments.

The residents, however, prevented the officials from removing all the encroached structures and only five huts were removed from the place. The civic body has given the violators two days to remove the encroachments.

A corporation field official explained that the do not intend remove the concrete houses but only 15 huts which hinder vehicle movement into the slum. “The move was executed only after the residents complained of the trouble caused by these structures,” the official said, observing that an ambulance could hardly reach the spot during an emergency.
But the local residents say the action was taken following the minister’s visit to the area a few weeks back.

“The minister and MLA, while entering the area in their cars, found the road too narrow to move on. The drive this morning could be a follow up of the inconvenience the politicians faced,” said a resident who was not willing to reveal his name.

The corporation has offered to construct new houses at other places, demolishing the older ones. But the residents claim that changing their area once again would affect their businesses in every aspect.

But the locals have many other reasons to worry about. “Our area stinks of garbage and just behind and in front of the school, garbage piles up. How could the children read well and be healthy if the stench keeps hitting them?” fumed R. Abi, a local resident.

She noted that the conservancy workers rarely turn up at the area. “The corporation acts quickly if it wants to trouble us like what happened this day". But if it is called to remove garbage or provide water, no one turns up,” said Andrew, another resident.

Warning boards put up

Chennai: To prevent encroachments and land grabbing, Kancheepuram district officials on Wednesday installed new warning boards to protect sprawling 368 acres of unassessed (poromboke) land at Maraimalai Nagar, near Chengalpet.

Revenue divisional officer Chellappa said, earlier this year, there were a few complaints against private parties encroaching the poromboke land and steps were taken to reclaim the land.

There were also farmers doing farming on the 368 acres. Recently, 26 acres of poromboke land, fenced by a private educational institution, was also reclaimed. Collector Chit­rasenan passed orders in this regard and the drive will continue, he said.