Discuss rehabilitation measures before asking flood victims to vacate: Medha Patkar
Medha visited Apparao Street, adjacent to Cooum, and distributed relief kits to nearly 200 flood victims on Friday.
Chennai: Social activist Medha Patkar along with members of National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM), visited Apparao Street, adjacent to Cooum, and distributed relief kits to nearly 200 flood victims on Friday.
“The state government before asking flood victims to move out of the area, should have the courtesy to have a discussion on their rehabilitation,” Medha Patkar told DC after visiting a few of the most affected huts in the narrow street.
Patkar, accompanied by anti-nuclear activist S.P Udayakumar, headed to Apparao Street and the adjacent slums after attending the funeral of her friend at Ayanavaram. Most of the huts in this street were completely damaged in the recent floods and locals complained that the relief sum was too less for a family to cater to its immediate needs.
“The relief amount of Rs 5,000 is too less as the survey was not conducted in a proper manner. Officials did not bother to look into our rooms and kitchen. Most of our property are lost forever. How can they determine the loss like that?” 61-year-old Muniyamma told the activist.
Muniyamma’s opinion echoed among all residents in the tiny huts. “The government has to step up and spend time to rebuild the completely damaged huts on a war-footing and engage NGOs’ along with them,” Patkar said.
“We are paying the price for unplanned development and encroachments that have cropped in the length and breadth of the city. I will surely take up this matter with the Centre and insist for more aid,” she said.
“I was informed that NAPM volunteers were threatened by a youth wing secretary of the ruling AIADMK party while they were providing blankets and food packets to the most needy people residing at the slums. I too came to know that these people were involving in these activities under the shadow of S.R. Vijayakumar, AIADMK MP from Central Chennai,” she told presspersons. “I appeal to the ruling party workers not to indulge in cheap politics in these tough times,” she said.
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