Seven years on, Meenambal Sivaraj Nagar residents protest delay in housing allotment in Chennai
The protest comes after an alleged delay in the inauguration of the houses despite the construction being completed and tokens issued to eligible families last year.
Residents claim that the only thing preventing them from moving in is the pending formal inauguration by Chief Minister M K Stalin. In the meantime, they say they are burdened with rising rents.
According to the protesters, their families have lived in the area for six generations, originally in huts. In 1974, under then chief minister M Karunanidhi, 176 families were allotted houses under TNUHDB. Over time, the population in the area grew to accommodate over 230 families.
In 2019, during the previous AIADMK government, the dilapidated buildings were demolished, and families were given temporary allotment orders for the new tenement along with a one-time ex gratia payment of Rs 8,000. They were assured that new homes would be ready within two years.
The project to construct 308 homes (Stilt+11-storeys) was awarded to a private contractor in 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs 40.14 crore, with a deadline of 18 months. However, construction was only completed in 2024. Despite the distribution of tokens last year, residents have not been permitted to move in.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
‘Serious consideration needed on money spent for PhD students,' Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Thursday said there needs to be serious consideration of the amount spent by the state government on PhD students. Pawar made this comment in the House while responding to a question raised by MLCs Sanjay Khodke of NCP and Abhijit Wanjarri of Congress regarding the disbursement of rental allowance and contingency funds by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training, and Human Development Institute (SARTHI). The deputy chief minister informed the Legislative Council that a uniform policy regarding the number of students, general scholarships, foreign scholarships, and admission procedures is being planned for academic institutes. Along with SARTHI, which extends aid to Maratha students, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) provides aid to Scheduled Caste students, Anna Bhau Sathe Research and Training Institute (ARTI) extends help to Matang community students, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research & Training Institute (MAHAJYOTI) to OBC students, and Tribal Research & Training Institute (TRTI) to Scheduled Tribe students. 'Between 2018 and 2025, around 3 lakh students benefited from government scholarships, tuition fee assistance, and other schemes across 83 courses under SARTHI. However, 3,000 students (just 1 per cent) pursued PhD programs, for which Rs 280 crore out of Rs 750 crore was spent. This implies an average of Rs 30 lakh per student over five years, a figure that warrants serious consideration,' said Pawar. He said that a limited number of students will be given admission in the PhD course in institutions such as BARTI, SARTHI, MahaJyoti, and ARTI. 'We have not yet planned the exact number, but that will be decided soon,' said Pawar. Going forward, Pawar stated, admissions will be limited to courses that have proven employment potential, ensuring public resources are directed towards skill-based and career-oriented programs. 'A committee headed by the chief secretary was earlier appointed to review and recommend a common framework regarding student intake, admissions, scholarships, and academic quality in BARTI, SARTHI, MahaJyoti, and ART institutions. The report from this committee has now been received, and decisions based on it will be announced shortly,' Pawar added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Karnataka caste survey: CCTV footage shows BBMP workers skipping houses; BJP calls it 'comedy of errors'
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday upped the ante against the Congress-led Karnataka government after CCTV footage showed Bengaluru civic body workers randomly pasting stickers without collecting any data during the ongoing door-to-door survey of Scheduled Caste households in Karnataka. BJP MP PC Mohan shared the video in a social media post, dubbing the whole exercise a "comedy of errors." "In 2015, the Congress government spent ₹170 crore on a caste census in Karnataka, then blamed dogs for its flaws," Mohan said. "Now in Bengaluru, BBMP is pasting caste stickers without collecting any data. From dogs to data-less drama, Congress's idea of social justice is a comedy of errors," he added. In the CCTV footage, two BBMP workers were seen pasting stickers at a home and clicking pictures without collecting any data from the residents. This comes after the Karnataka government launched a survey to gather data on Scheduled Caste sub-castes for guiding its internal reservation policy. Chief minister Siddaramaiah called it essential for ensuring social justice and equitable distribution of benefits. 'There are 101 sub-castes, including Left, Right, Lamani and others, but no empirical data is available,' he said, adding that the 2011 census lacked this granularity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm The government decided to carry out fresh caste survey after apprehensions by some sections about the previous caste census data. The caste census report was, submitted to Karnataka cabinet, had recommended increasing reservations for Backward Communities from the existing 32% to 51%. The recommendation is based on the findings of the socio-economic and educational survey, also known as the caste census, which highlights that Backward Communities make up nearly 70% of the state's population. The final report was submitted to chief minister Siddaramaiah in February 2024. The survey has faced opposition from various community groups, including dissenting voices within the ruling Congress party. While some leaders and organisations representing Dalits and OBC groups supported the survey's publication, citing the Rs 160 crore of public funds spent on it, others continued to oppose its implementation.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Operation Sindoor On Halt, India Moves Quickly To Ramp Up Its Air Defence As Pakistan Remains On Edge
Operation Sindoor 2.0 Loading? The four-day-long military conflict between India and Pakistan gave both nations a preview of their defence preparedness and strike capabilities. When India launched Operation Sindoor on May 6-7, it primarily targeted terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, but not Pakistani military installations. India made it clear from the beginning that Operation Sindoor's precision strikes were targeted at terrorist installations, and it was not a military strike. However, Pakistan's retaliatory launch of drones and missiles against India not only tested New Delhi's air defence capabilities but also the Indian Air Force's operational readiness. On the other hand, India's counterstrike gave Pakistan a reality check while calling out Islamabad's nuclear bluff. While India has announced the cessation of military strikes as part of Operation Sindoor, it maintains that the operation has been paused, and not concluded. Thus, Pakistan has been watching India's move very closely. Rs 1.05 Lakh Cr Booster Shot Amid this, India's Defence Acquisition Council has cleared 10 capital acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 1.05 lakh crore, said the Ministry of Defence. These acquisitions would be sourced indigenously. "The Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs) were accorded for procurement of Armoured Recovery Vehicles, Electronic Warfare System, Integrated Common Inventory Management System for the Tri-Services and Surface-to-Air Missiles. These procurements will provide higher mobility, effective air defence, better supply chain management and augment the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces," said the Ministry. It also added that AoNs were also accorded for the procurement of Moored Mines, Mine Counter Measure Vessels, Super Rapid Gun Mount and Submersible Autonomous Vessels. "These procurements will enable mitigation of potential risks posed to the Naval and Merchant Vessels," said the ministry. Test Of India's Air Defence Capabilities During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan fired around 1,000 armed drones and multiple missiles, including Fatah missile and Chinese PL15 missile at different Indian cities. However, the majority of the threats were neutralised or intercepted by the Indian Air Defence System. The Operation Sindoor gave India an idea of how many missiles/anti-drone systems it would need in case of a full-blown military conflict with Pakistan, and thus, the government has been working on buying/manufacturing the necessary weapons. India's Air Defence System During Operation Sindoor, India used its Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and Air Defence systems to neutralise Pakistani threats. India's Air Defence Systems, combining assets from the Army, Navy, and primarily the Air Force, created an impenetrable wall, foiling multiple attempts by Pakistan to retaliate. Some of the systems which were put to use were battle-proven AD (Air Defence) systems like the Pechora, OSA-AK and LLAD guns (Low-level air defence guns), Akashteer, Russian-S400 and and indigenous systems such as the Akash, a Short Range Surface to Air Missile system to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air attacks. New Acquisitions And Its Meaning India's decision to upgrade and boost its air defence capabilities show that New Delhi is readying for any misadventure by Pakistan, as Islamabad cannot be trusted. Pakistan has already started amassing weapons and fighter jets to satisfy its anti-India ego and its army chief Asim Munir has once again raised Kashmir rhetoric. Thus, India is very careful in dealing with Pakistan. Despite India's warning, the terror launch pads are already active in Pakistan and India must remain prepared for any kind of hostilty.
