Chennai, May 9 (BPNS)

AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) has demanded the state government to provide a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of Kanniah who had immolated himself in protest against the demolition and eviction at RA Puram in Chennai.

OPS who is also the Deputy leader of opposition in a statement on Monday, called upon the state government to inform the Supreme Court that all 259 houses in Ilango street, RA Puram are constructed without any encroachment and that the families who are staying there be allowed to continue there.

It may be recalled that a person Kanniah had set ablaze himself on Sunday after the state Water Resources department was in a demolition drive on some houses in RA Puram colony citing a Supreme Court order. The residents were pleading that they have moved another petition in the division bench of the apex court which was to come for hearing and had asked the water resources department to put on hold the eviction drive until a final order is passed by the Supreme Court.

O. Panneerselvam said that the site on which the dwelling units had come up was identified by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board and was declared a ‘slum area’ in 1973. The former Chief Minister called upon the government to immediately order suspension of demolition of the houses in the area.

He said that while he was handling the housing portfolio during the previous AIADMK regime he had assured the then Mylapore legislator, R. Natarajan that he would protect the interests of the slum dwellers as long as his government was in power in the state.

He also said that the then government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme court protecting the interests of the slum dwellers.