TN families to protest against eviction drive for bus terminal

Chennai, May 10 (IANS) Even as the Tamil Nadu government has drawn flak over the self-immolation of a protester, Kanniah, against the eviction drive in Chennai's R.A.Puram slum area, the authorities at Chengalpattu have commenced the process of evicting around 40 families for building a bus terminal.

While heated discussions had taken place in the state legislative Assembly on Monday in protest over the self-immolation of 58-year-old Kanniah, the Chengalpattu district authorities are going ahead with the eviction.

The inhabitants of the three-acre plot that is part of the 10-acre land where the proposed bus terminal will come up have been protesting against the acquisition of the land. The land is part of a 300-acre area of a government medical college and the 40 families according to the district authorities of Chengalpattu are staying in this place without any title deeds or patta.

Sunanda, 44, who is living in a small house on the plot while speaking to IANS said, "We don't have anywhere else to go. What can ordinary people do when the government authorities ask us to vacate one fine morning. We will protest against this."

The 40 families are also planning to move the court against the eviction drive.

Chengalpattu district collector A.R. Rahul Nath while speaking to IANS said, "The said land was donated by a landlord Vedachalam Mudaliar through a gift deed some 60 years ago and the area was not fenced during those days leading to encroachments."

The district collector also said that the families know clearly that the land belongs to the medical college and that was the reason why they have not spoken about the title deeds for the past 30 years.

However, the residents of the land in unison said that they will conduct strong protests against the decision of the district administration to evict them from the premises.