CHENNAI: With no vegetable markets nearby, 18,000 families at Perumbakkam resettlement site are having a tough time surviving. Having been evicted and resettled to the city outskirts, these families are solely dependant on small kirana shops, lest travelling three kilometers to reach the nearest market.
“The elderly are severely affected.

Small provisional stores are not sufficient for the large number of families living here,” said K Nallathambi, President of Public Welfare Union for all relocated residents. He added that only those with private vehicles are able to travel to the nearest market at Nethaji Nagar. Lockdown effect The small shops in the locality often run out of stock and are unable to cater to the needs of these families. Residents said there is a higher demand for essentials. Children who have had nutritious meals at schools and anganwadis are deprived too.

“At home, due to lack of vegetables, children are forced to have chips and other non-healthy items daily,’’ Jeevitha R, a resident said. Residents here demand that they be provided with a market with at least 50 shops. There are long queus outside ration shops too. “There is no market and there are only 5 to 6 ration shops for the whole community,’’ Vanessa Peter of Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities said.

Meanwhile, officials at the State Slum Clearance Board said they would look into the proposal of setting up a market. “After the lockdown, we will see if a market of sorts found in Koyambedu or Chintadripet can be set up, and residents too may get employment through that,’’ said an official.