Madras HC directs advocate commissioner to inspect, report on facilities for relocated families in Chennai
Representing the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, senior counsel G Thilakavathy submitted that the slum dwellers who have been relocated have been provided with all the basic amenities and facilities.
Madras High Court
CHENNAI: The Chief Bench of the Madras High Court directed an advocate commissioner to visit all the places where the slum dwellers are relocated, and submit a report regarding the facilities provided to them.
The bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad heard a PIL moved by Pennurimai Iyakkam, a women's rights organisation, seeking a direction to the authorities concerned to provide basic facilities to the families relocated from slums.
Representing the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, senior counsel G Thilakavathy submitted that the slum dwellers who have been relocated have been provided with all the basic amenities and facilities.
Senior counsel V Prakash who appeared for the petitioner organisation submitted that advocate K Elangoo, who was appointed as advocate commissioner in the matter by the court in 2018, should be directed to resurvey the areas where the slum dwellers have been relocated and submit a fresh report.
After the submissions, the bench directed the advocate commissioner to visit the areas where the slum dwellers have been relocated and submit the report with regard to the amenities and facilities available to them.
The date of the visit should be intimated to the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board and the petitioner, the bench said. The court also directed the representatives of the petitioner and the members of the board to present at the time of inspection by the advocate commissioner.
The bench also instructed the board to deposit Rs 50,000 as fee to the service of the advocate commissioner and posted the matter to June 12 for further submission.
The Pennurimai Iyakkam moved the PIL seeking to direct the State to rehabilitate the slum dwellers who were evicted but not resettled proximal to their sources of livelihood by redistribution or development of excess of land acquired under the Tamil Nadu Urban Land Ceiling Act, 1961.
The organisation also sought to direct the State government to take action to ensure that the relocated families have the means of livelihood, access to education and basic healthcare.
