High Court Bench restrains Tuticorin Collector from handing over the keys for Tsunami Relief House

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has restrained the Tuticorin District Collector from handing over the keys of 75 houses constructed for tsunami victims at Vembar village in Vilathikulam taluk.

A Division Bench comprising Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice P. Murgesen granted the interim injunction on a public interest litigation petition moved by a villager.

The petitioner, K.S. Rajagopal, said that the Revenue officials had evicted fishermen living on the Vembar seashore during December 2004, when tsunami struck the coastal areas of the State. The officials promised to build houses for all those who had been displaced.

Subsequently, 75 houses were constructed with the assistance of a non-governmental organisation and they were now ready for occupation. But the list of beneficiaries for whom the houses had been allotted included only 26 families living within 200 metres from the seashore and 32 families dwelling beyond 200 metres. The rest of the houses were allotted to the families from other districts, the petitioner said and alleged that many deserving families did not find a place in the list.

Source: The Hindu