The wait for the 700-odd families living along Valangulam tank to shift to the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board tenements in Ammankulam is getting longer. Without a clear word from the TNSCB officials, the residents are going almost every day in the past few days to the Ammankulam tenements to see what they need to add to their houses to make living comfortable.
“What else to do? A few like us have paid the beneficiary contribution – Rs. 17,800 – and also the electricity connection charges – Rs. 1,600. We are ready to move but are awaiting instructions from the TNSCB,” says C. Vadivel, a resident, adding that it appears that a few works are pending.
Enquiries reveal that works pending have to do with installing again the items that went missing, like wires. They say that since the TNSCB completed construction, it had been constantly losing wires, water tanks, and all that would fetch value in resale to thieves, who enter the premises at night.
Board sources say that though it has engaged an agency to employ security at Valangulam, the number of watchmen was inadequate. The thieves take away electric wires for copper, plastic tank and anything they could lay their hands on.
In their estimate, the thieves should have taken away wires from at least 200 tenements and a good number of water tanks. They have also damaged street lights to ensure that they move under the cover of darkness.
They add that the story in Ukkadam tenements is no different. The theft is only bigger as the number of tenements is greater.
This theft has delayed the residents moving over as without water and power their occupying the tenements is difficult. “With no solution in sight, they are waiting,” adds A. Veerasamy, another resident.
Meanwhile, those residents in Valangulam who have not been allotted houses in Ammankulam, too, are worried. The TNSCB has been suggesting that those allotted houses demolish theirs in Valangulam before moving over. It wants the residents to do so to prevent occupation of the vacated houses.
Same building
But that is easier said than done because in many cases the houses of those shifting and not shifting are part of the same building.
In such cases, demolishing a portion of the house of those moving over will affect the houses of those not moving over, explains K. Rajamani, a Valangulam resident. They want the TNSCB to ensure that the houses of those not moving out are not affected.
The TNSCB sources say they will consider this aspect before letting the residents move out.
