More than 150 families at Radhakrishnan Nagar in Arumbakkam locality of Chennai are at the risk of losing the roofs over their head as the Chennai Corporation goes on an eviction drive.
The second phase of eviction began on July 30 under the Cooum river eco-restoration project of the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT). Of the 243 families, only 93 families have received re-allotment orders to KP Park in Pulianthope after the residents resisted shifting to Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) tenements in Perumbakkam. The rest are yet to be resettled who are also expected to be given re-allotment orders to KP Park.
On top of this, many families (around 21) have claimed that their names are missing in the re-allotment list thereby putting them at the risk of losing their houses and pushed to the streets.
Despite their pitiable plight due to the mismanagement of the incumbent government, their voices remain unheard as the media friendly to the DMK establishment looked the other way. However opposition parties ensured that their plight comes to light through social media. It was only after much hue and cry from the public that Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol. Thirumavalavan visited Radhakrishnan Nagar ‘to listen to the concerns’ of the residents living there and ‘console them’. He had received petitions from them and had later met Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi IAS regarding the matter.
Naam Tamilar Katchi Seeman too visited to listen to the concerns of the people residing on the encroached land.
On the other hand, media outlets like The News Minute and other prominent Tamil journalists who claim to be the voice of the voiceless have been mute about the issue. The News Minute, a left-leaning digital news media portal considered friendly to the ruling DMK, which frequently goes out of the way and publishes articles on isolated incident of violence against Dalits, has not even published a single article on the matter.
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