CHENNAI: In yet another incident of the danger of buying panchayat-approved land, the State Housing Department has termed a layout, spread 8.03 acres in Perumattunallur panchayat in Chengalpattu taluk as unapproved and ordered halting of the construction of buildings on the plots.
The 8.03 acres of layout approved by the panchayat were being sold as plots measuring 600 square feet each to various individuals.
While the purchasers went ahead with construction of buildings and entered into construction agreement, the trouble arose when one S Kannan moved the Madras High Court and filed a civil suit. He also lodged a complaint with the Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning, Chengalpattu region.
The High Court subsequently directed the Housing Department to dispose of the complaint file by Kannan.
It was learnt during the investigation that the layout approval was not obtained from the Town and Country Planning Department. No OSR has been earmarked and gifted to the local body. Besides, the layout is not designed as per the norms prescribed in Tamil Nadu Panchayats Building Rules, 1997.
“The local panchayat has no jurisdiction or authority to issue such a layout approval without consulting the DTCP. Such being the case, the building plan approval in such a layout on various plots is irregular,” said the order by the Housing Department.
The DTCP source told Express that the developer has gone on appeal to the government which has been rejected.
“We have issued a ‘Stop Work’ notice under Sections 56 and 57 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act. The panchayat has set up a board cautioning buyers not to buy plots,” said the official.
The buyers are cautioned that without the approval of the DTCP, any layout, which has only the approval of panchayat, is unauthorised, the official said.