TN govt to grant relief to tenants from rental dues

CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu: The Government of Tamil Nadu has decided to waive off tenant dues payable for the COVID lockdown period to various urban local bodies (ULBs) across the state. Cumulatively, dues payable to urban local bodies amount to ₹136 crore.

The state administration has informed the Madras High Court, “Rent payable for the lockdown period from June 2020 to August 2020 (first wave) and from May 2021 to June 2021 (second wave) by lessees of urban local bodies including Chennai Corporation and other corporations, municipalities and town panchayats will be waived.”

The state administration was responding to a plea filed by a trader, M Ponnusamy, requesting the Namakkal municipality to waive his rental dues payable for the COVID lockdown period. 

However, the benefits of this decision will be extended to only those with no prior arrears with the urban local bodies. Also, the state government will not be paying the waiver amount under any circumstances.