Minister promises apartments for all who lost their flats
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: Revenue and Housing Minister I. Periasamy informed the Assembly on Monday that all those who lost their apartments following the building collapse at Ukkadam in Coimbatore would be given new apartments.
Replying to a special calling attention motion tabled by the opposition parties, he said the Government had given solatium to the next of kin of those killed and cash assistance to the injured. Free medical treatment was being provided and an emergency relocation allowance of Rs. 5,000 had been given to each family.
“The sad part is that most of those who died were people who rushed in to rescue those trapped inside. Only five persons were inside the block when the collapse occurred,” the Minister said.
Kovai Thangam (Congress) and V. Sivapunniyam (Communist Party of India) said the Rs.5,000 relocation allowance was inadequate. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi clarified that it was for the families to find immediate shelter and for the expenses involved therein.
C. Govindasamy (Communist Party of India (Marxist)) said though the Government had warned the residents, they did not move out because no assurance was given on alternative arrangements. They thought that if they moved out, they would not get new apartments if and when these were built.
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