Destitutes packed off to streets?

CHENNAI: Even as reports of the plight of homeless people during the lockdown pour in from across the country, the authorities of Chennai Corporation allegedly evicted some destitutes from its shelters and dropped them on streets. The officials, however, claimed that they didn’t ask anyone to leave and only those who wanted to leave the halls were let to go. 

An inmate at the CIT Nagar community hall who preferred anonymity said, “They (officials) enquired who among us were from Chennai. When some people replied, 14 of them were asked to get in a bus and were told that they would be dropped off at their respective addresses (on the streets).”It is alleged that the authorities took the measure due to overcrowding of its facilities.

The shelters, spread across 89 locations in the city are currently housing 4,240 people including migrant labourers.  “They initially asked if anyone was willing to leave. When nobody volunteered, they picked these 14 people and asked them to board the bus. Police were present and so, they were scared to refuse,” the CIT Nagar inmate added. Responding to the allegations, Corporation officials said that only those who were willing to leave were taken back to the streets. 

“We have not asked anyone to leave. Those who said they don’t want to be confined to the hall and wanted to leave have been dropped back,” officials said.On asked if the Corporation was short of space to accommodate homeless and migrant workers, the officials said they had enough space. Those accommodated in the community halls are provided food three times a day. It is feared that back on the streets, the ‘evictees’ would be left to fend for themselves during the 21-day lockdown.