Author: NT Bureau
Publication: News Today
Date: June 14, 2003
URL: http://www.newstodaynet.com/14jun/ld1.htm
The residents of Jamalia Nagar Cross
Road now feel vindicated. After almost going through the equivalent of
hell in the last few months as a construction of a church had brazenly
encroached on the public road causing them lot of hardships, they are now
heaving a sigh of relief after authorities demolished the upcoming structure
yesterday.
Corporation and police officials
landed on the location yesterday, and after ensuring proper security
in the locality lest some untoward incident broke out because of the communally
sensitive nature of the issue, they began razing down the illegal pillars
and steel rods put up in the place.
A police team led by Pulianthope
Assistant Commissioner (L & O) T Sukumaran stood in guard while the
workers got down to the real business of getting the road back for public
use.
Today road laying work were undertaken
in the place where the church was to have come up (see accompanying pictures).
It may be recalled that this
paper had written in detail about the flagrant encroachment a few
days back. The construction was said to be at the behest of the Parish
Priest of Lourdes Shrine in Perambur.
The Residents Association later
also took the matter to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. In a letter, they
sought her immediate intervention and help stop the construction. And two
days after the letter, the illegal structures have been brought down.
Thanking the Chief Minister for
ensuring prompt and just action, the Jamalia Nagar Cross Road Citizens
Association Founder-Secretary Narayanan in a letter also praised her for
showing lot of heart in tackling conversions in Tamilnadu. The Association
also expressed its gratitude to the officers and other local politicians
who helped them in removing the encroachments.
Yet, after all these, the locals
are not ready to breathe easy. Last night, some rowdies, whom the residents
of the locality allege were from the group that was behind the construction
of church, had threatened them, saying that they would have to pay for
their effrontery in getting the construction stopped.
Watch this space, for further developments
if any.
