Free land for the displaced families along Palar river have been identified in Nandiyalam village near Melvisharam town in Ranipet by the district administration on Saturday.
The move comes more than a year after the demolition of asbestos roofed houses in Sadik Basha Nagar and MGR Nagar that come under Melvisharam municipality. The houses, which were demolished last June, were built over two decades ago along Palar river as most of the families belong to washermen community.
The drive was aimed at restoring the original width of the river to carry excess rainwater during monsoon. It also helps to prevent inundation in urban areas like Melvisharam and Arcot towns. “The identified land belongs to the State government. Once the open land is levelled, a detailed survey will be done to mark individual plots for the beneficiaries before giving free pattas to them,” K. Venketasan, Tasildar (Walajah taluk), told The Hindu.
Accompanied by Collector S. Valarmathi, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R. Gandhi inspected the on-going cleaning of the bushes and levelling work in the identified open government land in the village on Saturday. Revenue officials said that of the total 353 displaced families along Palar river, around 250 affected families gave petitions for free land near their demolished houses.
As per norms, each affected family is eligible for at least three cents of land as compensation. Beneficiaries should not have any land property in their names. Residents said that they had been living in the existing houses for many years and demanded the district administration to find an alternative site near their demolished houses.
Initially, revenue officials identified free open plots in Kurumpatti and Veppur villages near Arcot town. However, affected families objected to these villages due to the long distance from their earlier area. As a result, Nandiyalam village was shortlisted for the families as the village is located around 2 km from their previous residential area. Once a spatial survey is done, allotted plots will be given to the beneficiaries, who can build houses under centrally sponsored housing schemes executed by the district administration, officials said.
