MLA gheraoed by agitated residents
By Julie Harikrishnan
Thursday December 30 2004 08:29 IST
CHENNAI: Residents of Anna Nagar slum, in North Chennai, gheraoed
local LA Sekar Babu on Wednesday protesting against the indifference
shown by the fficials and elected representatives while executing
relief measures. Earlier, their threat to stage a road roko
was prevented by the police.
They were upset on Tuesday night as the State Government’s
relief measures, including Rs 2,000 in cash, did not reach them.
They gheraoed Radhakrishnan Nagar MLA, P K Sekar Babu, on Wednesday
afternoon, when he was on a visit there, blaming him for the
lapse.
Most of them complained that no Revenue official from Tondairpet-Fort
Taluk had turned up to enumerate their loss. Says Rajasekar,
a resident: ‘‘There are about 620 hutments in this
region. But the Revenue staff enumerated only 200 yesterday.
It is painful to see many outsiders getting the relief money
and material, where we remain as spectators.’’
They alleged that the relief amount and clothes were only
handed over to ruling party cadres and not to the ‘‘original’’
survivors. ‘‘When we approached the elected representatives
yesterday, they said that we had to contact the local councillors
for relief. Why should we run from pillar to post to get what
is our due?’’ wonders Subramani, another resident.
‘‘These politicians go door to door to distribute
voter-slips, but now they want us to beg them for help. This
is outrageous,’’ Lakshmi, another resident said.
Devi, a resident, who lost all his four family members, was
scared to stay near the coast. ‘‘Though the generous
public supply food and cloth, we have been asking the officials
to provide us accommodation, utensils and clothes for survival,
but to no effect.’’
As the waves have swept away their thatched houses, scores
of families of Anna Nagar have been camping on the Ennore Expressway
during night for the past few days braving the chill. They have
no other go.
‘‘There is no organised supply of relief materials.
Many passersby are getting food parcels and clothes while those
who need it most are left out. Children and elderly people are
forced to run behind vans and tricycles to get a piece of bread.
Cannot the officials take immediate steps to release the relief
amount?’’ asks Kabali, a resident.
When contacted, the Revenue officials said the residents could
have been left out, if they were not present during the enumeration.
They can also approach the Tondairpet taluk office for any relief
measure, they added.