CHENNAI: Rain was a great leveller
with the floods wreaking havoc across the state. But the government's plan to
restrict the disbursement of flood relief only to areas populated by low income
groups (LIGs) is sure to aggrieve many.
Many feel that by strictly
earmarking the relief distribution to LIG areas, the poor and affected residing
in middle-class and relatively affluent areas would be a deprived
lot.
"As per the government order, only LIGs are entitled for relief
measures and we cannot go beyond that," said Chennai collector Mythili K
Rajendran. The district revenue administration, with the help of the
corporation, has began enumerating the affected on Wednesday and avoided areas
where middle-income group stayed.
Susila Goplakrishnan, a Congress
councillor of Rangarajapuram, demanded the visiting revenue inspector to leave
the place as he enumerated only 85 families in Valliammal Thottam on Wednesday.
"There were houses that were submerged in Rangarajapuram, including those in
areas like Subramania Nagar, Panchapa Thottam and Kothandarama Pillai Thottam,
but officials turned down our requests," the councillor
said.
Incidentally, the revenue staff preferred to count those
staying in the three-storeyed TNSCB tenements in Brindavan Street in West
Mambalam, but its neighbouring colonies like Ganapthi Street —
predominantly occupied by domestic helps - were ignored despite
flooding.
The recent floods had left eight streets of Ethiraj Nagar,
Annamalai Chetty Nagar and Karunanidhi Nagar in Saidapet inundated. But
according to PMK councillor T Sathyamurthy, "The government has to change its
policy and help daily wage earners who lost everything in these areas as well,"
Sathyamurthy said.
"Many ground floors in West Mambalam and
Kodambakkam were waterlogged for more than four days. Most of the electronic
goods in the houses were damaged," said Leelavathy, a resident of Aziz Nagar,
Kodambakkam.
According to the mayor, "Areas that were flooded for
more than three days will also have to be enumerated," Subramanian said.