TN: HC seeks report on unauthorised urban construction

CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the state government of Tamil Nadu to submit details of the number of cases related to unauthorised constructions in each urban local body in the state and the action taken against them.

A bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and G Arul Murugan sought the above report to test the bonafide intention of the state government in passing a G.O. to form high-level committees at district levels, pursuant to the court’s directives, to tackle the issue of unauthorised constructions in the state.

The bench also issued a series of other directives including that the local bodies should submit periodical action reports on complaints of unauthorised constructions in their jurisdiction before the aforesaid committees every month. In turn, the committees must conduct monthly meetings mandatorily to discuss and deliberate on the said reports.

The commissioner of municipal administration and director of town panchayats were suo motu added as parties to the case to facilitate the implementation of the directions.

The directions were issued on a petition filed by one Mathialagan against an unauthorised construction in the Tiruchy district.