Protests notwithstanding, SM Nagar evictions continue

CHENNAI: Protests from some sections not withstanding, evictions continued in Sathyavani Muthu Nagar, with about 60 families being evicted on Saturday alone. According to officials, around 95% of the remaining families have received allotment tokens to be resettled to Perumbakkam.

After a few residents stepped into chest-deep into Cooum river in protest, the drive received widespread media attention with popular public personalities, including director Pa Ranjith, voicing support for the residents. However, the outrage from various quarters have not had much impact on the eviction.

“Around 220 families are left to be evicted. In the last two days, as many as 116 families have been evicted,” said an official. R esidents had demanded resettlement options within the city limits. However, officials said that with 1,800 families from the same settlement having already been resettled to Perumbkkam, giving these families options would result in protests from those resettled earlier.

“ This is a large community and 1,800 families have been resettled in Perumbakkam. Giving other options to a section of this community alone would not be fair to those resettled earlier,” said an official. “We have tried our best to accommodate their demands. They had asked for exclusive blocks and we have opened three blocks to them. They asked for ground floors, we have also arranged that,” the official added.