writingonblog uncensored: CBI probe required to unearth granite mining irre...

writingonblog uncensored: CBI probe required to unearth granite mining irre...: Chennai: The Madras High Court  appointed Sagayam Committee  has suggested a need for a  comprehensive probe by  special Investigation T...

CBI probe required to unearth granite mining irregularities, says Sagayam Committee

Chennai:

The Madras High Court appointed Sagayam Committee has suggested a need for a comprehensive probe by special Investigation Team or Central Bureau of Investigation to unearth irregularities in Granite mining in the state, particularly in Madurai..

The report has stated that a total of 84 private quarries have been reported to have violated various conditions and resorted to illegal mining.

Interestingly, the irregularities in mining was exposed by The New Indian Express in 2008 and 2009 following which a public interest litigation was filed in Madras High Court.

Sagayam has also suggested multi-disciplinary team to assist Central Bureau of Investigation covering customs irregularities, irregular foreign exchange and money laundering.

Interestingly, Sagayam Committee has highlighted that a total revenue loss to the exchequer due to the granite scam is 65,154.60 crore and if the recovery was done through imposition of penalty it would work out to Rs 1.06 lakh crore.

Express has reported in 2008 that the royalty for one cubic metre of raw block of granite is Rs 1,575. It was also revealed by Express that the department of mines figures did not match that of the total quantum of grantite exported which could be several hundred thousand cubic metres (CBM). 

The Sagayam Committee Report also suggested constitution of special court to look into the irregularities in government mining besides constitution of anti-corruption Ombudsman for officials.

It is learnt that 98 FIRs have been registered by Madurai Police in 2012-13 against mining lessees besides registration of two FIRs by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.

Interestingly, Sagayam Committee also highlighted that after initial action was taken by collector and police officials in 2012 following his earlier report, the investigation died down.

The detailed report, which consists of 624 pages along with 31 volumes in annexures, stresses the need for amendments in existing laws of mining besides reorganisation of Tamil Nadu Minerals on the lines of Neyveli Lignite Corporation

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai to submit smart city proposal before Dec 1...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai to submit smart city proposal before Dec 1...: New template for smart city  proposal created C Shivakumar Chennai: The 12 smart cities proposal  of Tamil Nadu under the  second ...

Chennai to submit smart city proposal before Dec 15

New template for smart city proposal created

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The 12 smart cities proposal of Tamil Nadu under the second stage would be prepared in accordance with a new template designed by the Ministry of Urban Development.

The template was designed after taking in proposals from principal secretaries and municipal commissioners of select cities during a meeting held on November 3.

All the 12 proposed smart cities has been asked to submit the proposal before December 15 to be evaluated for the second stage of competition.

The new template offers 100 points which are divided on the basis of city-based development, area-based development and pan-city solution.

The city level criteria is offered 30 points. This include city’s vision and goals strategic plan, citizen engagement besides self-assessment and potential for improvement. It is evaluated on the basis of transportation condition in the city, water availability, solid waste management, security of the city besides housing and energy availability.

However, it is area based proposal which has maximum points of 55. It is the key element of proposal and will identify an area of the city that has been selected through research, analysis, meetings with public representatives, prominent citizens and citizen engagement.

Under this, a base map of Chennai or any other smart city will be created showing physical, administrative and other characterstics such as natural features, heritage areas and areas prone to flooding, slums etc. “Using this, only one area would be selected and attached in the form of map containing spatial and physical layout of the area, the street network and the open and green spaces, geographical feature and landmarks and infrastructure,” said sources.

A pan-city smart solution proposal will be evaluated on the basis of whether the proposal would benefit entire city through application of ICT (information, communication and technology).The proposal should contain one or two such smart solutions

However, it is the financing plan which will be a key success factor in the smart city mission. The evaluation would be based on the capacity of urban local body and the special purpose scheme to undertake the self-funded development projects.

Similarly, the pan-city solution would be given 15 points and would be evaluated on citizen engagement and smartness of solution

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai disaster management plan not implemented, ...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai disaster management plan not implemented, ...: C Shivakumar Chennai: The floods in Chennai have  exposed the failure of  implementing the disaster  management plan as the city  is...

Chennai disaster management plan not implemented, say experts

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The floods in Chennai have exposed the failure of implementing the disaster management plan as the city is still grappling with inundation and many areas in low lying areas are submerged for more than couple of days. 

The city was given a warning on November 8 by Indian Meteorology Department and the state had adequate time to implement disaster management plan, National Disaster Management Authority advisor (operations) Major General Anurag Gupta told Express.

Tamil Nadu has a state disaster management plan and it should have been implemented so that the impact of the heavy rains could be minimised, said Gupta..

“The state disaster rescue force (SDRF) should have been conducting rehearsals on how to go about it once the city is flooded,” he said. 

But this never happened,” said Association of Professional Town Planners president K M Sadanandh.

Interestingly, the state has a disaster management plan in paper but it has hardly been implemented. While officials are aware of the impending disaster they did not chalk out the plan, says Sadanandh, who has given a representation to the chief secretary.

While officials have been blaming about the storm water drain being blocked by Chennai Metro Rail work they should have thought about an alternate plan to let out the excess water.

The biggest failure was to map out the vulnerable areas of the city and carry out immediate relief work or put up a disaster plan for each area, said a former Public Works Department official on condition of anonymity.

He said the failure on part of the officials was that they failed to comprehend such a disaster. And this could be true as the flood hazard map of India (mapped by meteorological department) rules out Tamil Nadu as flood prone state. 

Then how did the city end up in water. The issue has been that floodable areas have been identified under the Madras Metro Flood Relief or Storm Water Drainage Master Plan. 

As per the Second master Plan report, developments in low lying areas are allowed only when a proposed development conforms to standards and after getting clearance from Public Works Department on the measures to be taken to free it from inundation. 

“This is in paper only. Buildings in Velachery or Tambaram or any low lying area have been given planning permission by bending the rules and now most of them would be made legal with Section 113-C coming into effect,” says Sadanandh

He says that revenue department is still the sole agency for disaster management where as other department’s involvement in upgrading available technology for early warning, preventive measures as stipulated by NDMA is not taking place.

Even the relief work was carried out independently. "Some private agencies were distributing the relief on their own. There was no particular agency involved and there was chaos with political parties using it as an opportunity to win vote-bank just before elections,” said Sadanadh.

Will George Town be re-developed as per Rajeswaran Committee recommendation?

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Is the government going to redevelop George Town as per the recommendation of Justice Rajeswaran Committee?

The locality has 80 per cent of the 150 buildings which are in dilapidated condition as per Chennai Corporation. It also has less than one per cent of buildings which are built without any violations, as per the survey carried out by Chennai Corporation.

The committee says that data from the survey carried out by Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority revealed that most of the constructions have been made without any regard to planning parameters with nil setbacks, encroachments on the public roads, aerial encroachments, violation of average floor space index.

This would mean bringing down a majority of construction and rebuilding them again as per the norms. But it is yet to be seen whether this is feasible or not. The committee has also recommended that guidelines for redevelopment may be worked out by CMDA.

Interestingly, while calling for redevelopment of the whole area, the committee has been silent on the responsibility of the officials who have encouraged the violations, say sources.

While there is a monitoring mechanism as well as a enforcement in both Chennai Corporation and CMDA, it seems this is hardly put into use with palms of the officials being greased by the builders.

“Accountability and responsibility must be pinned down on the officials and in case of violations, the officials supervising such constructions must be made responsible and punishment given,” says T Nagar Welfare Association, which has submitted a petition to the committee to look into the illegal development in T Nagar.

Interestingly, the Association states that when comparison of the deviations as listed out in survey conducted in 2007 and the present situation would reveal that there have been further deviations.

While there is no accountability when it comes to officials, it won’t be far off when the government would further bring in amendments to relax the regulations for illegal developments.

This would result in questioning the validity of bodies like Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and Chennai Corporation, whose duty is to monitor illegal developments.

Chennai Metro Rail planning rail network of 168km

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Could the second phase of Chennai Metro Rail be extended to 123 kilometres?

Sources in Chennai Metro Rail told Express that there are suggestions to extend the three corridors under the Second Phase identified by Chennai Metro Rail by adding another 35 kilometres.

It was earlier revealed by Express that the initial plan was to have a stretch of 88 kilometre in the three corridors. This came after officials deliberated on extending the stretch by another 12 kms by linking Madhavaram with Old Mahabalipuram Road stretch.

It is learnt that officials are now looking at the possibility of extending the three corridors to a total of 123km. This could be in addition to 45 km stretch under the first phase (Corridor one and two) which is likely to be completed by 2017

This could mean that the city is likely to have a total of 168km of Chennai Metro Rail network if the recommendations are implemented. 

Sources revealed that the plan is to extend the third corridor by further nine kilometres and extend it up till Red Hills. This means that the entire third corridor in the second phase would be 50 kilometre long.

Sources said that it is too early to decide whether this could be an elevated or underground stretch but this would serve Puzhal and Red Hills residential areas. A clearer plan would emerge once the feasibility report is out.

Similarly, the fourth corridor which was between Koyambedu to Light House would be extended towards West and extend it to Poonamallee. This means the initial 14km corriodr would be extended by another 11 km. This would include Maduravoyal and Vanagaram residential areas. Sources reveal that it is being suggested that the stretch could be partially an elevated one.

Similarly, the fifth corridor which was linking Madhavaram to Perumbakam would extend till Wimco Nagar. This could mean that another 14.7km of stretch would be added to the proposed 33km stretch.

Sources reveal that the plan to extend the corridor to Wimco Nagar was suggested from an operational point of view as the depot already exists in Wimco Nagar

This would link residents living in Manali New Town, Masilamani Nagar etc.

Proposed alignment:

Total length: 88km

Approximate Cost: Rs 45,000 crore

Corridor III: Madhavaram to siruseri (41km)

Corridor IV: Koyambedu to Light House (linking Nerkundram) (14km)

Corridor V: Madhavaram to Perumbakkam (33km)

Proposed extension:

Corridor III Extension: Madhavaram to Red Hills

Proposed length to extended: 9km

Corridor IV Extension: Koyambedu to Poonamalee

Proposed length to be extended: 11km

Corridor V Extension: Madhavaram to Wimco Nagar

Proposed length to be extended: 14.7km

writingonblog uncensored: After more than two years city will get 830 MLD o...

writingonblog uncensored: After more than two years city will get 830 MLD o...: Chennai : The heavy rains may have  crippled the city but it has  also brought cheer as the  water crisis that continued  for more t...

After more than two years city will get 830 MLD of piped water

Chennai:

The heavy rains may have crippled the city but it has also brought cheer as the water crisis that continued for more than two years due to failure of monsoons came to an end as Chennai Metro Water will resume the supply of 830 MLD of water to the city.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday ordered enhancing the quantum of supply of drinking water from 535 MLD to 830 MLD.

The city during the beginning of the month was staring at a crisis as all the reservoirs nearly dried up. Surviving on ground water, desalination plants and the Veeranam reservoir after Krishna Water supply from neighbouring Andhra was stopped, the city was able to weather the crisis. 

Now due to the rains, the city has about 9.5TMC feet of water which could last till the summer.

“It was quite difficult during the period and Metro water looked at other resources to ensure potable water was available,” said a Metro water official. The crisis was such that Metro Water even identified 30 water bodies in Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) to assess their potential for ground water during the month of September.

Interestingly, now even the newly added areas would also get piped water. The chief minister said that piped water would resume in Avadi, Ambattur and Ullagaram-Puzhuthivakkam.

But how did the the city survive for more than two years as the rains failed to fill up the reservoirs. In a statement here, the Chief Minister said through the New Veeranam scheme, 180 MLD had been supplied to Chennai city and the desalination plants at Minjur and Nemmeli. 

A total of 120 MLD of water was being received from farm wells in Tiruvallur district. In areas where piped water supply was not possible, 8,500 water tanks were established to ensure drinking water supply. 

Apart from these, drinking water was supplied through 6,000 trips of tanker lorries and 5,000 hand pumps

had been repaired to help the people in getting water. 

Interestingly, during the dry phase experts were even suggesting that the city should think about reuse of waste water rather than focusing on alternative resources.

With the normal pipeline supply of water resuming, Chennai Metro water is now vying to ensure that the newly added areas in the city get 150 litres per capita per day as the new reservoir in Kannakottai is getting readied besides work is also going on to have a additional desalination plant.

Current reservoir levels

Reservoirs      Current Water levels               Last year water levels

Poondi              2792 mcft                      354 mcft

Cholavaram           697 mcft                       61  mcft

Red Hills              2872mcft                     1,292 mcft

Chemabrambakam      3223mcft                    1239mcft

Total                   9584mcft                    2,946mcft

writingonblog uncensored: Nearly 10pc of export cargo to Chennai Port affec...

writingonblog uncensored: Nearly 10pc of export cargo to Chennai Port affec...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Nearly 10 per cent of export  cargo was hit was due to the  heavy rains that lashed the  city for the last two...

Nearly 10pc of export cargo to Chennai Port affected due to heavy rains

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Nearly 10 per cent of export cargo was hit was due to the heavy rains that lashed the city for the last two weeks, according to a top official of National Association of Container Freight Station.

Speaking to Express, M S Arun, Chairman of National Association of Container Freight Station, said that lot of export cargo did not arrive at Chennai Port due to heavy rains. 

“The cargoes are mostly minerals and stones and most of them come from the neighbouring Andhra,” said Arun.

He said the volumes of cargo has affected the Chennai Port. 

Chennai Port officials concede that the heavy rains in the city slowed down the port operations but a true picture would only emerge once the downpour subside.

A Chennai Port official said that container movement in the Port has come down. “Usually, a total of 2,300 containers arrive in Chennai Port but now the number has come down to 1,800," said the official.

“This could not be linked to the volume of business carried out by the Port. It has only slowed down the operations, said the official.

He said volumes are likely to rise up to 2,000 containers once the rains stop. He said during the rains, cargo like machineries and steel would not be allowed on board as these could rust.

While the entire state has been hit by the rains with major canals breaching and excess water in reservoirs being let out, the official said it is too early to estimate about the losses.

Ennore Port ruled out that rains have hit it's operations. A top Ennore Port official said that operations are continuing. "The operations are not hit," he said.

Gulf Oil Lubricants plan to open plant in Chennai suffers blow

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

India based lubricant manufacturer Gulf Oil Lubricants move to have a plant in Ennore suffered a blow as Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has recommended to the government not to give permission as it falls under Red Industry.

Sources told Express that the proposal of Gulf Oil Lubricants to open a plant in the city having a capacity of 40,000 metric tones annually was rejected as Red Industry can’t come up within the Chennai city limit.

It is learnt that the land acquired in Kathivakkam in Ennore at a estimated cost of Rs 35 crore through internal accruals comes under Chennai Corporation limits as per the Government Order dated December 26, 2009.

As per the Development Regulation, Special and Hazardous Industry (Red Industry) is not applicable within the Chennai city limit, said sources.

It is learnt that the area when under the Kathivakkam municipality, the area was zoned as special and Hazardous Industrial Use zone which was permissible for red Industry. But things took a turn when Kathivakkam  village was included in Chennai Corporation. 

As per Development regulatio norms Red Industry is not applicable within city limits. 

It is learnt that the proposal of Gulf Oil Lubricants was forwarded by Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance ad Export Promotion Bureau under single window clearance.

It is also learnt that the project site boundary on western side is surrounded by Cochrane Canal which lies is Coastal Regulation Zone II area within the 100 metre radius. As per CRZ norms it should be outside the 100 metre radius 

Sources also revealed that as per CRZ-II norms January 2011), building should be permitted only on the landward side of the existing road or the landward side of the existing authorised structure.

“Now it is up to the government to decide on the issue, said CMDA sources.

Gulf Oil Lubricants India Limited (GOLIL) planned to have the plant on stream towards the end of next year or early part of 2017

Tamil Nadu has been witnessing several instances where policemen commit crimes in the garb of their uniform

Rogue lawmen

Author: C Shivakumar

• Published Date: Nov 7, 2008 2:58 AM
• Last Updated: May 14, 2012 4:53 PM

Haroon Basha is a shattered man. And for a fathomable reason. Fra­med in the 2006 Coimbatore bomb plot case, Basha had to bear the ignominy of being branded a terrorist. It’s another matter that an investigation later cleared him of all charges. “People still look at me with suspicion. My life and career have been destroyed. Even my own relatives avoid me,” says 35-year-old Basha who, along with four others, was listed a terrorist by the police.
Basha did fight for compensation from the government for filing false charges against him and bringing him disrepute. The irony, though, is that one of the assistant commissioners of police who probed the case has been promoted to the rank of additional super­intendent of police. This, despite the CB-CID probe recommending action against the errant officials. That apart, new police reforms are expected to be introduced this month. Even so, human rights organisations feel the state government has failed to adhere to Supreme Court strictures.
“The Tamil Nadu bill on the matter is tota­lly silent on the vital issue of implementing the body named Complaints Authorities at the state and district levels to look into public complaints against police officers in cases of serious misconduct,” says B Parthasarathy, state director of the National Project on Preventing Torture in India, sponsored by the European Union. “And they include custodial death, grievous hurt, rape in police custody, extortion, land grabbing and grave abuse.” So, while the state is mulling on implementing the reforms, there have been serious violations of rights. In fact, there have been instances where the police have filed false cases against the complainants themselves. In some instances, proven criminals have allegedly been let off, unpunished. There have also been instances of illegal detentions, custodial deaths and torture. The New Indian Express investigates some of the cases.
False witness
It was a busy day for Alagammal this summer. As the 70-year-old was hurrying up to finish her household chores, toddler Gopika approached her. “Where is your hen and your dog, nanny?” she asked, giggling. Alagammal dismissed the girl, least realising that this would be the last time she would be seeing the girl and that she would be an important witness in the murder case.
Gopika was found dead on July 8. Her little body was fished out from Nattarmangalam canal, just four feet wide and about two feet deep, on the outskirts of Madurai. As her body was recovered from Pudhuthamira­ipatti village near Othakadai, Gopika’s earlobes were found chopped and her anklets stolen. Police initially believed that someone killed the girl to steal the valuables the three-year-old was wearing. The girls’ father then filed a complaint, and a case of murder and theft was registered by the Othakadai police.
A post-mortem report on September 21 claimed she died of head injuries and her body bore the marks of fish bites in the middle of the neck, front of the left shoulder, back of the right wrist and left hand and the right lower abdomen. Crucially, it did not mention the time of death. Strange as it would seem, the fish bites were reported in select body parts. As Dr S M Shivakumar of Madurai Medical College says, “fish bites in the reported body parts can occur only if it has ulcers or wounds. Otherwise, it is difficult for the fish to bite through the skin.” He, however, says the time of death is mentioned only if the inquest officer requests for it.
Exactly a week later, the police came up with the name of a certain Ravi, who is in charge a local granite quarry. He, the police said, confessed that Gopika died after his car hit her. Ravi even told police that he dumped the body in the canal — after chopping off the girl’s earlobes and taking away the anklets, which he threw in the water. What’s more, they have identified Alagammal as the witness to the accident. Villagers now believe the police are planning to close the case, having termed it as a case of vehicle accident.
But Alagammal has different tale to tell. She was in tears as she told this correspondent that the whole report was fabricated. “The police took neither my thumb impression or signature. How then can they name me as a witness in the case? I had told them that Ravi must have kidnapped the girl, but they didn’t take my statement,” she says.
Alagammal rules out that it was a car hit that killed her granddaughter. The area where police claim the accident took place is very narrow and surrounded by houses and huts. Alagammal recalls that Ravi’s son Gautam had called Gopika to play with him on that day. And later she saw from her window someone carrying away the child.
“We want justice,” says former Othakadai village president P Kalidas, who is also the district secretary of the CPI. “It is a case of murder, but the police are now terming it as a case of accident. Even the post-mortem did not mention when the death took place.” The villagers are planning to shortly organise a protest to press for a CB-CID probe into the episode. They claim that it is an act of human sacrifice, and believe it was done to tide away the misfortunes of the granite company that Ravi works with. Gopika’s mother Usha claims that a month after the child’s death, a ritual was performed at the spot from where the body was retrieved. “We informed the police about it,” she says. Villagers also deny that the canal has the kind of fish that could chew away the parts of a human body.
The police, on their part, deny the charges of cooking up a false witness and believe Ala­gammal is retracting her statement. They also deny the case is linked to human sacrifice. Whatever, Alagammal’s statement has conjured up some questions that remain unanswered in the police version. And this is not the only case. There have been several instan­ces where police reports looked blatantly false, yet the local media just fell for it.
Dubious case
In another instance, in Tirunelveli district, police filed an FIR against a village administrative officer who protested encroachment of government land by a private firm. The officer, P Ganesan, says the wind energy company had closed an arterial canal in Kulaineri village of VK Pudur taluk with mud. “They were building a road on it, wholly igno­ring that their act affected the livelihood of some 250 farmers. I, along with my assistant and revenue inspector, protested against the incident,” Ganesan reveals.
“But the officials from the firm threatened and assaulted us. And when we tried to file an FIR against these people, the police took the complaint from the private party and filed an FIR against us,” he adds.
Worse was in store for Ganesan. He was jailed. “I had to take a conditional bail — and that, for defending the government property. Is it a crime to do your duty?” he wonders.
The village administrative officers’ union later protested. It took up the issue with hig­her authorities, who then set up an inquiry by a revenue divisional officer.
His report said Ganesan and the two other officials were merely performing their duty. This prompted the district collector to call upon for the government to initiate action, but nothing has come of it. “If a government official,” notes Ganesan, “has to knock at the doors of justice for doing his duty, you can imagine the plight of common man...”
Custodial death
Ganesan’s point sounds true in the case of Hasan Ammal, again of Tirunelveli district. A resident of Kadiyanallur in Tenkasi taluk, her husband was illegally detained in the local police station.  She was made to run from pillar to post, seeking his whereabouts.
An exasperated Hasan Ammal approached the director general of police, who transferred the case to the CB-CID. A probe was launched and it was found that Hasan Ammal’s husband, Mohammed Masud, was tortured and murdered in police custody. This led to the suspension of DSP Pratap Singh, though no action has been taken against the rest of the police officials. In fact, DSP Chanderpaul, who was then the inspector of police, has been honoured with Anna award. Hasan Ammal has currently filed a petition seeking compensation for the death of her husband.
Notes Parthasarathy of the National Project on Preventing Torture in India: “The keepers of the law should set an example of righteousness, and people should be encouraged to report crimes. With lack of witness protection and complainants being treated as offe­nders, it looks like people’s faith in the police force is eroding.” Few would disagree with it.
 —shivakumarshreya@gmail.com
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article2214.ece?service=print 

Branded by law

Published on 2008

The Criminal Tribes Act has been repealed four decades ago but the
kal-ottar community are still hounded by law, ostracised by society,
and ignored even by the rights organisations, finds out C Shivakumar

When 24-year-old Muthu was taken away by police in a midnight swoop on
his village, no one was surprised. His neighbours and his family sound
quite resigned to the fact. They don't know if he has committed a
crime, but they believe it would make no difference to the police. For
Muthu is by definition a criminal from birth. He is a kal-ottar
(stonecutter), a community branded as a criminal community by the
Madras Presidency in 1911 when it enacted The Criminal Tribes Act of
1871. The law was repealed four decades ago, but the stigma remains.
"Our community is branded by law as criminal," says Murugeshwari.
"Police routinely make midnight raids to arrest our men. We don't have
permanent homes. We are hunted by the law and dare not stay too long
in one place. As a result, we don't have identification papers, no
ration cards, no voter ID cards. We have petitioned the chief minister
for help but there's been no answer so far. So the police continue to
enter our houses and take away our men and put them in jail. Sometimes
even the women are not spared."

Lack of papers
Muthu was in jail for over two weeks before his wife Parvathi could
see him. No one would tell her where he was or why he had been taken
away. The seven months pregnant Parvathi ran from pillar to post for
almost two weeks. He was in Madurai Central Jail.
When she went to the jail to visit her husband, a fresh problem arose.
"Do you have a voter ID card or a ration card?" the official asked
when she presented her application.
"No, I don't," she said.
"Sorry, without an ID card we can't let you in," the official replied
as she turned to another applicant.
Tears welled in Parvathi's eyes. "Please madam, please. I just want to
see him once." The official looked at her for some time and then
relented. "If someone in your locality has identification papers they
can help you out."
A neighbour stepped up and signed some papers for Parvathi so that she
could get permission to meet Muthu. Two weeks after he was taken away
from the Muniyandipuram area of Madurai, he got a chance to meet his
family. No charge sheet has been filed against Muthu.
The police have no qualms about their treatment of these people. "They
are a violent community, involved in murder and theft cases," says a
police official.
But Tamil Nadu Ottar Kuruvar Vallurimai Sangam organiser Radhakrishnan
says the police are biased. "Most of those arrested remain in custody
without any cases filed. Some are tortured and forced to give
confessions.
"We are easy targets. If police fail to solve any case, they pick us
up and book us for crimes we never committed," alleges Selvam, the
secretary of the sangam. He says himself was tortured by police and
released only after intervention by human rights activists.
The community is scattered around Madurai, Theni, Villupuram and other
parts of Tamil Nadu. The men work in stone quarries or construction
firms while the women sell fancy items like bangles and earrings. Most
of their earnings are spent getting the men out of jail.

Bail money
"Whatever we earn is spent getting bail or hiring a lawyer," says
20-year-old Savitri, whose husband Muniyandi is jailed under the
Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) in Madurai. Savitri was
pregnant when her husband was arrested. Now her son Vignesh is
one-and-a-half years old. The family reunion takes place only during
Savitri's jail visits.
Polygamy is one of the more curious side-effects of the jail time the
men spend. Kathamuthu, for instance, has three wives and 14 children.
With so few men around, Radhakrishnan says polygamy is understandable.
"It is mostly due to the frequent detentions of the men folk."
It's not just the Tamil Nadu police who are after them, the kal-ottar
say. Police from neighbouring Kerala recently raided Bethaniapuram and
dragged 60-year-old Velayudham and his two sons from their home and
took them away in a Kerala-registered vehicle. Sukumari, Velayutham's
wife, says they were taken to Ottapalam police station.
"Three days later we were freed," says Naganandan, one of the sons.
But Velayutham is still missing. "We tried to file a complaint. But
the Karimedu police station refused to entertain it. A letter was also
sent to Ottapalam police station but they refused to acknowledge it,"
says Sukumari.
Branded as criminals from birth, the kal-ottar suffer from other kinds
of discrimination. At school, the children face taunts and jibes from
fellow students or teachers. "It is very humiliating," says
14-year-old Mahalakshmi. "Our classmates call us by names, saying bad
things about our community. Sometimes even teachers abuse us."
Mahalakshmi, a student of Pasumalai CSI Girls' Higher Secondary
School, is one of the few to have got as far as the 10th standard.
Most of the children are illiterate. In Mottumalai, it is common to
see them idling around, playing desultorily at some game or other.
Mahalakshmi, though, has ambitions. "I want to be a lawyer. I want to
fight for the rights of my community."
"We want our children to be educated," says Maduraiveeran, released
from jail a couple of months ago. "But most of them get branded as
criminals at a tender age. No one will give them jobs. So many enter
the crime world." He also says police routinely foist cases on them.
But Inspector General of Police South Zone Sanjeev Kumar dismisses the
allegations. "Most of them are involved in criminal activities. And in
fact there are instances when police intervention saved them from
being lynched by a crowd."
Their fear of the law is such that the community dare not approach the
police when a theft happens at their own home. Even weddings are
usually hushed up to avoid notice. "There is no fanfare as with the
other communities. They only exchange betel leaf and nuts,"
Murugeshwari says.

Easy target

B Parthasarathy, state director of the National Project on Preventing
Torture in India, says the community makes an easy target for the
police. "They are taken to different police stations across the state
so that police can close the old files, due to pressure from the top,"
he alleges.
Radhakrishnan says even the state human rights commission has turned
its back on them. "We sought their intervention over police torture.
But they turned us down, as though our rights never existed."
When this correspondent contacted the rights panel, a spokesman said
that since the petition was just a carbon copy and was circulated to
competent authorities in the state, "we felt there was hardly any role
for us. According to the petition, the community members threatened to
commit mass suicide. What else could we do in this regard?"
Hounded by the law, ostracised by society, and ignored even by the
rights organizations, the kal-ottar have no one to turn to for relief.
As generation after generation lives in dread, one wonders if there is
any hope at all for the younger generation.

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai fails to learn from the past

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai fails to learn from the past: C Shivakumar Chennai: Chennai has failed to take  lessons from the last five  catastrophic floods as the  entire city again came t...

Chennai fails to learn from the past

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Chennai has failed to take lessons from the last five catastrophic floods as the entire city again came to a standstill due to inundation following heavy rains, according to sources.

The city had witnessed heavy rains in 1943, 1978, 1985, 2002 and 2005 caused by heavy rain associated with cyclonic activity. These events of catastrophic flooding were found to be attributable to failure of the major rivers and other drainage systems to clear the inundations in the city, according to CMDA sources.

Flooding of less catastrophic nature occurs regularly in low-lying areas of the City and its suburbs because of inadequacy or inoperativeness of the local drainage infrastructure, according to a CMDA report.

If one goes by the survey of Public Works Department, the waterways of Chennai is shrinking due to encroachments.

Even the catchment areas are occupied and it is likely they would be regularised under Section – 113 C, an amendment to the Town and Country Planning Act. While, people may be bad mouthing Chennai Corporation for the inundation, the biggest issue is relaxation of planning norms and reclassification of land every now and then by greasing the palms of officials.

The land use plan has been altered frequently but the irony is that no official from the planning department in CMDA or bunch of officials, who form the CMDA Authority, have been made responsible.

Sources reveal that the floods in 1943 were historic and damaged Cooum river very badly. Based on the A R Venkatachary’s Report the Government had improved the Cooum river and provided a sand pump at the river mouth for removal of sand bar.

In 1976, there was catastrophic flooding in Chennai and this time it was the turn of the Adyar river. P Sivalingam Committee gave recommendations for prevention for further damages from floods and recommended schemes to be implemented in the short and long terms.

In 1980 CMDA came out with a Nucleus report on improving the drainage network so that North Chennai and Koyambedu doesn’t get inundated. While some of them has been implemented some have failed to see the light of the day. This has resulted in Koyambedu getting inundated every now and then.

Interestingly, the floods in floods in 2015 is much worse than that of 2005. The entire Chennai was inundated and still continues so as officials are trying to bring normalcy.

Interestingly, post-2005 several measures have been implemented but they have failed to provide any major relief to Chennaites.

The reasons for this state of affairs are three-fold. Most of the existing waterways, reservoirs and tanks are silted and their flow channels and banks are obstructed with encroachments and structures, says officials.

Secondly several of the areas under tanks and their anicuts have been developed as residential neighbourhoods over the years. T Nagar, Nungambakkam, Vyasarpadi are good examples. The Taramani area has been developed as an institutional area.

Interestingly, efforts are being now taken to demarcate the boundary of water bodies that too after massive encroachment and pressure from the judiciary. But it is too late.

Similarly, officials feel the geological structure particularly in the south-west is not conducive to water infiltration.

While the Second Master Plan has suggested that the constraints in disposal of floodwaters could be created as an opportunity to manage and use the excess water for augmenting urban water supply through creation of additional storage and capacity.

But till now no additional storage or capacity has been created. Although a reservoir has been planned in the outskirts at a cost of Rs 330 crore in Thiruvallur district,t the work is yet to be completed and it is running behind the deadline.

There was also a plan to create a network of open spaces to provide green environment which would be used as flood moderators during critical months of the year. But open space is too far-fetched thought when land sharks are not even sparing water bodies.

While the Second Masterplan states that CMDA’s land use plan identifies all the important macro drainage features and prescribes the extent to which the conservation area extends. Surprisingly, this land use plan is tampered as most the catchment area is reclassified by the authority.

The parameters for safeguarding waterways and water bodies from undesirable developments are incorporated in the Development Regulations but then it is amended every now and then with no official claiming responsibility. While ideas are numerous, it just requires the spirit to implement it rather than tinker with it,” said a former CMDA official

1943 floods: 

A R Venkatachary’s Report: Provide sand pump at the river mouth of Cooum for removal of sand bar.

1978 floods:

P Sivalingam Committee report: The committee recommends projects worth Rs 22 crore to improve the waterways of Chennai

1980 PWD Nucleus Report: The report suggested improvement to drainage network in North Chennai as well as improvement to Virigambakkam Canal and ways to carry out surplus water during the floods

1992-93 Madras Metro Flood Relief/Storm Water Drainage Master Plan Study: The study was done to identify using modern hydrological and hydraulic modeling techniques or measures to alleviate flooding in the North of the City. Projects worth Rs 34.8 crore were proposed for improving the Cooum

1994 Drainage Master Plan for Madras City: Major flood alleviation and rehabilitation of the urban storm water system with focus on Pallikaranai

Factfile:

Factfile:

1.Cooum and Adyer rivers play a major role during floods, collects surplus water from 75 and 450 tanks in their respective catchments

2. The reduction in water holding capacity of the city’s surface is due to loss of green cover. This has reduced ground water recharge

3. Uncontrolled urban sprawl and loss of natural drainage is one of the main cause for flooding

4. Drainage channels have been blocked and urban lakes filled and encroached,

5. Canals degraded and polluted, heavily silted and narrowed.

6. Lack of planning and regulatory controls to prevent development in old tank beds 

7. Lack of unified flood control implementing agency that could integrate functions of Corporation, Development Authority, Public

Works Department, Slum Clearance Board and Housing Board

Source: The National Institute of Disaster Management