CHENNAI : The Madras High Court has directed the Secretary and Commissioner, Land Administration department, to conduct an inquiry into the lapses on the part of the revenue officials in protecting government lands, waterbodies and resources and initiate appropriate action if any negligence or dereliction of duty is found against them.
Noting that the inaction of the district administration and the inefficiency of the officials had led to large-scale encroachments in the State and that there cannot be any leniency or misplaced sympathy in respect of the facilitators, Justice S M Subramaniam gave the directive on Monday.
The judge was rejecting a plea from V P Jayakumar, who sought to quash an order of the Land Administration Commissioner rejecting his claim of ownership of a property measuring 36 cents in Vellaur village in Coimbatore district.
The judge directed the authorities to evict the petitioner from the government land with the help of police within four weeks.
This court was able to visualise that a tahsildar or his subordinates or the higher officials in the district administration were very well aware of such encroachments as day in, day out, their field officers were passing by all such encroaching structures. The local Village Administrative Officers and other revenue officials were aware of all these encroachments, the judge noted.
“In spite of their clear knowledge about such encroachments, why actions are not taken under the law is the important question to be raised by all concerned in the interest of the public. The reasons can be many, possibly such government lands are shown by these revenue officials to some greedy men, who are capable of satisfying the needs of such government officials,” the judge said.
Greed blamed
As land cost increases, encroachments are also increasing. There is no end for greediness. However, such greedy men are to be dealt in accordance with law, the judge said.
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