Tirupur: In nothing less than an inhumane act, the city corporation, along with police officials, forcefully evicted 35 families living on the banks of Noyyal river near Valam bridge here on Thursday and ‘threw’ them in an open place. With no place to go, many of them returned to Noyyal road and staged a protest, condemning the civic body’s unkind measures against them. It was heartrending to see women holding toddlers and children with school bags on their back squatting on road helplessly.The families said they were evicted in view of inauguration of a hotel owned by an AIADMK functionary. Three state ministers are scheduled to attend the inauguration ceremony that would take place on Friday.It is to be noted that around 100 Kuravar community people had been living on the banks of Noyyal on Noyyal road near Valam bridge for years in tent-like structures. Most of them used to make a living by making bamboo products and selling phenol.On Thursday early morning, corporation authorities evicted all of them forcefully with the help of police. The families and their belongings were taken in vehicles and they were dropped in an open place at Palavanjipalayam near Veerapandi.“The place, where they dropped us, belonged to a private person, who warned us to vacate immediately,” said one of the evicted family members.With no other place to go, many of them returned to Noyyal road and staged a protest against the forceful eviction.“Many of us had been living here for more than 15 years and we depend on the city for our livelihood. The district administration had earlier allotted housing plots at Mudhalipalayam, but they had already been allotted to some others. Now, without allotting us any plot or housing unit, we were forcefully removed from what we call our home,” said a 40-year-old woman.Pointing out that the new hotel was just 100 meters away from the spot where they lived, she said they were evicted only because of the AIADMK functionary’s property, which is to be opened on Friday.Assistant corporation commissioner, zone III, Mohamed Shafiyullah, denied the charges and said, “We have recommended the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) to allot houses to all the 35 families in a housing unit that is being constructed at Palavanjipalayam. We evicted them only to ensure their ‘safety’.”When contacted, corporation commissioner K Sivakumar told TOI that the families were evicted as part of the Noyyal rejuvenation scheme. “We will ensure that they get houses,” he said.

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