Restoration drive sees 46 families evicted from Cooum banks

This is the second eviction of the families living on the banks of the Cooum this month. Earlier this month, on September 8, 347 families at MSP Nagar, Maduravoyal, were resettled in Gudapakkam.

In the early hours of Thursday, the eviction was carried out by the Greater Chennai Corporation. Some of the residents said that they weren’t given enough intimation. However, a Corporation official said that the enumeration was conducted three months ago. “We have been communicating with the families over the last few months, while conducting the enumeration exercises. We informed them on Saturday that they will be moved by Wednesday or Thursday this week. Houses have been allotted in Perumbakkam for all the families and a team is present to ensure that they settle in their new homes. The resettlement has been done as per procedure,” pointed out the official.

There will also be another resettlement exercise in Aminjikarai, in Muthumariamman Colony, in which 387 families will be relocated. “However, the process has been dragging, since the families want to be resettled in Gudapakkam, as it is closer to their current location,” added the Corporation official.

Vanessa Peter, Policy Researcher at Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC), said that the timing of the eviction has been traumatic for the children, who are in the middle of the school year. “As the term has already started, many students cannot move schools and the parents are left in a quandary. In addition, many of the families prefer Gudapakkam since it is closer to their work places, rather than Perumbakkam. Initially, families were promised they would be resettled in Gudapakkam, but were sent to Perumbakkam,” she pointed out.

The researcher also added that adequate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) studies have not been done, revealing flaws in the execution. “CRRT carried out an SIA study for only two out of 50 slums that are situated on the banks. If a proper SIA had been done, they would know that by relocating these families to 30-40 km outside the city, there will be a loss of employment. With a proper SIA, it is possible to take livelihood measures. By shifting families to the fringes of the city – to two different districts – you are segregating the poor communities,” she concluded.