Following the demolition of the ‘Madrasi Camp’ along the Barapullah Jangpura drain near Nizamuddin Railway station in the national capital, the Tamil Nadu Government has come forward to extend a helping hand, assuring the residents of comprehensive assistance in the event of the residents returning to the state.
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday announced that the state government would help the residents return to the native districts and provide necessary help, including livelihood assistance through the respective District Collectors. An official release said the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi has been tasked with reaching out to the residents and that the state government would coordinate in ensuring the displaced received timely help without any delay.
Admitting that the Delhi High Court had ordered the eviction, holding that the tenements were an unauthorised encroachment blocking the flow of the drain, causing flooding, the TN government said, “All legal avenues available to the residents of ‘Madrasi Camp’ have been exhausted for retaining the colony at the site.” The colony has 370 dwelling units, and the residents have come from various districts of Tamil Nadu six decades ago in search of jobs as domestic helps and other menial work.
The court, which dismissed the petitions of the residents, ordered that the settlement be cleared as of June 1. Further, it directed that eligible residents be rehabilitated under the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board Act (DUSIB Act) and the Delhi Slum and JJ Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015. However, only 215 of the 370 residents were found to be eligible for residential allotment under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category by DUSIB following a survey. The alternative residential units for them are at Narela.