Suicide over eviction from TN slum: Rs 50 lakh sought as compensation for family

CHENNAI: AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) has demanded that the state government provide a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of Kanniah who had immolated himself in protest against the demolition and eviction at RA Puram in Chennai.

OPS, in a statement on Monday, called upon the state government to inform the Supreme Court that all 259 houses on Ilango street, RA Puram are constructed without any encroachment and that the families who are staying there will be allowed to continue there.

Kanniah had set himself on fire on Sunday after the water resources department personnel reached RA Puram colony for a demolition drive, citing a Supreme Court order. The residents pleaded that they have moved another petition before the division bench of the apex court which was to come for hearing and asked the water resources department to put on hold the eviction drive until a final order is passed by the Supreme Court.

Panneerselvam said that the site on which the dwelling units had come up was identified by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board and was declared a 'slum area' in 1973. He asked the government to immediately order suspension of the demolition of the houses in the area.

He said that while he was handling the housing portfolio during the previous AIADMK regime, he had assured the then Mylapore legislator, R. Natarajan that he would protect the interests of the slum dwellers as long as his government was in power in the state.

He added that the then government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court protecting the interests of the slum dwellers.