TNSCB building with 24 houses collapses in Tiruvottiyur, Stalin announces Rs 1 lakh for families

Chennai

An entire block of the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Boardapartment collapsed at Tiruvottiyur minutes after families were evacuatedaround 11 am on Monday.

While no casualties have been reported so far, householditems of all 24 families were buried under the debris and personnel from fireand rescue services and police department have been engaged to search ifanybody has been stuck in the collapse site.

There are 14 blocks in total at the quarters and it was theD Block that housed 24 families which collapsed around 11 am.  Police said that the families noticed thecrack in certain portions of the building on Saturday night and since thecracks widened on Monday, the families moved out of the building. While fireand rescue personnel also reached the spot, the entire building collapsed.

The building was constructed in 1993, said police. The causeof the building collapse is being studied.

'Alternate houses for 24 families to be given soon'

 Following the collapse of a tenement, Chief Minister M KStalin, on Monday, assured that alternate houses will be arranged for peoplewho have lost their houses.

 "Minister for MSME T M Anbarasan has been sent to thespot to inspect the collapse of TNUHDB tenement and I have issued an advisoryto officials to arrange alternate houses for people who were part of thetenement. I have also directed officials to distribute Rs 1 lakh to all the 24families who were residing in the building to start a new life after theirproperties were damaged in the building collapse," said Stalin, in astatement.

Stalin also said that officials have been directed tocollect details of old tenements and to take safety measures. Meanwhile, Anbarasan, while addressing the media after theinspection, said that the tenement was constructed in 1993 and due to prolongedusage and climatic conditions, the building sustained damages and collapsed. InGreater Chennai Corporation (GCC) there are 23,000 such houses that wereconstructed 40 to 45 years ago. After DMK came to power, it was decided todemolish these 23,000 houses which were not suitable for living in a phasedmanner.

 Anbarasan also said that in the current financial year theChief Minister sanctioned Rs 2,500 crore for constructing 7,500 new houses andpreliminary works have commenced. In areas like Kotturpuram, steps have beentaken to evacuate people and to construct new tenements. MLAs have alsoundertaken the job of evacuating people from their constituencies. Minister further said that the people who have lost theirhouses were made to stay in marriage halls and Rs 1 lakh announced by the ChiefMinister will be distributed by evening. Alternate houses for the families willbe given in a day or two, said the Minister.

When asked about the technical committee appointed toinspect the damaged houses, the Minister replied that if the technical teampoints out that the tenements are damaged people living in the tenements wouldbe relocated and new buildings will be constructed after demolishing them.