Madras HC refuses to stay eviction of slum-dwellers in city

The Madras High Court today refused to stay eviction of residents from 36 slums in the city saying a blanket order cannot be granted without hearing the state government's version.
Refusing any interim relief, a vacation bench headed by Justice MS Ramesh ordered notice to the state government returnable by January 5, 2108 on a PIL moved by Pennurimai Iyakkam, a women's welfare organisation.
Charging the Public Works Department and Chennai Corporation with resorting to mass eviction of slum-dwellers without abiding by the provisions of Tamil Nadu Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act of 1971, it claimed slum dwellers across the city were being evicted forcibly without notification of their residential areas as slum areas, as required under the law.

According to the petitioner, already residents of about 22 slums in MK Stalin Nagar and Thideer Nagar had been evicted fully and those in five slums had been evicted partially.
Residents of about 36 slums in the west, east and south of Cooum, Tiruverkadu and Melpakkam, among other places, were facing the threat of eviction, the petitioner added.
The petitioner further contended that alternative accommodation provided for such evicted families at far-off locations, has led to loss of livelihood and educational opportunities for their children.
"The displaced children, without the possibility of continued education, fall in the hands of anti-social elements, and which is not good for society," the organisation said in the plea.