Flat dweller slams shoddy eviction process by authorities

Kochi: Dr Arun Oommen, neurosurgeon with Lakeshore Hospital, Kochi, who is among the persons residing on rent at the H2O Holy Faith apartment and was still removing his articles from the flat in the apartment complex late on Thursday evening rued the manner in which the eviction was being undertaken by the authorities.

"It is two days since I had sleep, going after this shifting process. The limited three days given is not sufficient. The rents are going up and there are hardly any flats available that are affordable. I took one whole day to search and somehow fond a flat. The owners are demanding Rs 30,000 in place of Rs 20,000 for a three bedroom flat," said Dr Oommen.

He said that for the past four days lorries were coming and going throughout removing the articles, yet it could not be half evacuated.

"The lifts need to be operated 7-15 times to remove the articles of one flat and sometimes they conk out. People in hurry tie them on ropes and bring down and some of the articles fall on ground and are broken also. The three days are given in the place of 15-17 days needed to do the job," said Dr Oommen.

Dr Oommen said that the commotion was such in the road leading to the flat and its compound that ambulances in case of any emergency, would find it difficult to negotiate its way to the spot to rescue people.

"There are people in the age group of 80-90 in the apartment and patients who are undergoing dialysis and have undergone kidney transplantation. Some 6-7 persons are bedridden in the complex and many are yet to be shifted.

Around 40 Non-resident Indian owners are yet to arrive to shift their articles," said Dr  Oommen.