Tsunami-hit entitled to shifting charges
Beneficiaries of the scheme to replace houses vulnerable to natural calamities along the coast with disaster-resistant dwelling units are entitled for one-time shifting charges and reimbursement of monthly rent for 12 months. Enquiries reveal that Collectors of coastal districts, other than Chennai and Tiruvarur, had identified a total of 52,569 houses located within 1,000 metres from high tide line (HTL) and 200 metres from backwaters, as vulnerable to natural calamities. They had suggested that the houses be replaced with disaster-resistant dwelling units under the World Bank-assisted Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project (ETRP) and financial assistance from the Centre. The government decided to take up construction of 22,000 houses (15,869 in rural areas and 6,131 in urban localities) out of 52,569 units in the first phase under the Union government-funded Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme (earlier known as Rajiv Gandhi Rehabilitation Programme). These houses would be built at the cost of Rs. 2.38 lakh per unit at the same site where the old and weak structures stood. Apart from funding the construction of new houses, one-time shifting charges of Rs.1,000 would be extended to the beneficiaries who were also entitled to a monthly rental reimbursement of Rs.500 for 12 months from the date on which they handed over possession of vacant land to the contractor. It was obligatory on the part of the beneficiaries to raze the old structure and level the site before handing it over, official sources said. Inspecting the Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme works being carried out in Tiruporur block on Saturday, Secretary, Rural Development, Ashok Vardhan Shetty, directed officials to immediately release one-time shifting charges to 39 families at Pattipulam, who had been identified as beneficiaries. He also inspected on-going cement concrete road laying works, with assistance from the Asian Development Bank, in tsunami affected hamlets in the block.