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Several houses pulled down

By S. Sundar

A house being demolished at Mahaboobpalayam in the city on Monday. — Photo: S. James.

MDURAI, FEB.21. After a day's break on Sunday, corporation officials today resumed removal of encroachments in the city, pulling down several houses, roadside temples and a church.

The drive, now two-weeks old, is going on unhindered with the protestors turning mute spectators.

With vain attempts to postpone the demolition, the locals assembled to witness the bulldozers flattening the places of worship.

The Police Commissioner, Vijay Kumar, who oversaw the security arrangements during a drive conducted on Palam Station Road, where two roadside temples were removed, told The Hindu that he had formed a special team to liaise with the local people to cooperate with the officials in removing encroachments, especially places of worship.

In many places, the people themselves came forward to remove valuables from the places of worship, which, he said, had made the job easier for the police.

Liaison had reduced unnecessary friction between the officials and the people, he said.

Peculiar problem

The Corporation is facing a peculiar problem in hiring bulldozers for the eviction drive. "The owners are very particular that their hydraulic vehicles should not be used for demolishing temples," the Assistant Commissioner, G. Umapathy, said.

While the local body wanted to use the available police security to the maximum, conducting simultaneous evictions in neighbouring places, the owners of the earthmovers did not come forward to allow the use of their machines.

The Corporation owns four bulldozers. Meanwhile, many houses at Mehaboobpalayam were found to have been constructed on encroached land with the drainage channel running under them.

Among them, three houses were two-storey pucca buildings that were razed down.

The drive was conducted at Meenakshipallam too.

On Palam Station Road, the officials gave a day's time to the management of a place of worship to remove the front portion of the building, which protruded onto the road, as there were differences of opinion in measuring the land.

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