Row over tenement allotments hits tsunami project in Nochikuppam

C Shivakumar

Chennai;

The row over emergency tsunami reconstruction project in Nochikuppam has hit a roadblock with slum clearance board struggling to vacate 360 dilapidated tenements and 150 huts due to opposition from the fishermen who demand additional allotments.

The project to build 816 tenements in Nochikuppam, initially taken up with World Bank assistance and now being taken up with state government funds, is yet to materialize as people in Nochikuppam have been demanding to have additional houses for the wards also and the efforts by Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board has failed.

It is believed that about 40 per cent of the beneficiaries of Nochikuppam have moved to temporary shelters till November 1, 2011.

Desiya Pengal Kootamaipu coordinator Victor told Express that the fishermen want houses for all including those living in Srinivasapuram, Foreshore Estate and Domingkuppam. Initially, the proposal included people from Srinivasapuram, Foreshore Estate and Domingkuppam but they were left out as the finalisation of beneficiaries list met with lot of resistance from the people from these localities.

Interestingly, a number of meetings were held but no solution was found and the result was the Wordl Bank assistance was subsequently withdrawn as the ETRP project came to a closure last year. Sources said the slum clearance board has decided to delink the scheme from the World Bank assistance and proposed to take up construction of new multi-storeyed tenements in Nochikuppam area utilizing state government funds considering the precarious nature of buildings.

South Indian Fishermen's Welfare Association president K Barathi alleged irregularities in nearly 300 allotments stating that in some instance people from the same family have been allotted houses. There have also been allegations over dalit fishermen are being ignored in the allotments. However, the allegations have been denied by the officials. Interestingly, the associations quoting officials claim that nearly 50 allotments may be cancelled.

As there is no solution in hand, the slum clearance board is slowly losing patience and may be counting on the last option that is to resort to forceful eviction with adequate police protection.