The Tamil Nadu Government has approved a budget of ₹300 million for constructing new houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees at Kottapattu, located on the Tiruchi-Pudukottai highway.
Currently, there are about 107 rehabilitation camps for Sri Lankan Tamils across Tamil Nadu, many of which were established 37 years ago. Among these, the camps at Kottapattu in the Tiruchi district and Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district are some of the largest in the state.
The Kottapattu camp, which houses around 1,200 Sri Lankan refugees, consists of 470 houses. However, many of these homes are reported to be in poor condition due to aging and inadequate maintenance. Despite efforts by the government to repair the worst-affected houses, deterioration has continued over time.
Responding to field reports and the demands of the camp’s residents, the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils has decided to build new houses in Kottapattu.
A senior official told The Hindu that the government has sanctioned ₹300 million for the construction of over 500 new houses to improve the living conditions for refugees in the camp. The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) will oversee the construction project.
The new houses will be built near the current camp, with the site identification process already underway. The official assured that residents will not be displaced during construction and will continue to live in their existing homes until the new houses are ready for allocation.
Source: The Hindu
