Poor quality housing, livelihood crisis plague resettlement colonies

The residents of these two tenements had  woes much like their counterparts at Perumbakkam. The biggest complaint registered by  the residents was the livelihood crisis, faced by the inhabitants, who are forced to travel more than 50 kilometers to the city to their previous neighbourhood. 

In addition, for many families resettled by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) under the Integrated Cooum River Eco Restoration Project, training for livelihood opportunities are open only to those who are below 40. 

This has irked residents and activists, who are seething at the treatment meted out to this vulnerable group. The poor quality of housing came under severe criticism. 

Many of the residents complained that the pipelines were leaking, and water has been seeping into the houses and the structures were of poor quality. The plaster is falling off in many homes, said another resident. However, for the residents who have been resettled from various parts of the city and suburbs in these tenements, the discrimination continues in their new neighbourhoods. 

In the meeting with the AC, many residents, who had been resettled under packages, not by CRRT, claimed that they have absolutely no support. Those who are resettled by CRRT have an allowance and access to livelihood training programmes, but those who have been resettled from areas near waterbodies in Kanchipuram, are left with absolutely no allowance or even allotments, according to the residents. 

Activist Vanessa Peter, who has been working with the resettled communities, said that these discrepancies were due to the lack of a resettlement and rehabilitation plan.