CHENNAI: The Raj Bhavan has added 11,315 sq m of built-up area post enactment of the Forest (Conservation) Act in 1980, but sources in the forest department say no prior clearance was obtained. According to the official records with the department, the legal status of Raj Bhavan land is still a reserve forest. It was never dereserved, which means any construction done after 1980 requires prior clearance from the Union environment ministry.
As per Raj Bhavan’s own submission to an RTI query on February 15, between 1980 to 2022, six new construction projects were executed, and sources said no prior FCA clearance was obtained. A to L blocks of the servants’ quarters built on 7,266.60 sq m in 2013 was the latest construction.
In fact, a meeting was held between Raj Bhavan and Tamil Nadu government officials in 2013 to discuss the constructions on Raj Bhavan land and dereserving it. The government had then asked the Comptroller of Governor’s Household, Raj Bhavan, to send an appropriate proposal under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land measuring 2.18 hectares, where it was proposed to construct the staff quarters through the Chennai Wildlife Warden.
The minutes of the meeting, accessed by TNIE, also noted that the entire area where Raj Bhavan is located was still a reserve forest and was not dereserved at any point of time. The government had asked the secretary to the Governor to send a proposal through the Chennai Wildlife Warden to dereserve 59.16 hectares under Raj Bhavan’s control. This will require the approval of the Union environment ministry after recommendations from the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court.
A senior forest official told TNIE Raj Bhavan has not yet submitted any proposal to dereserve the land or applied for permission under the Forest (Conservation) Act to divert forest land for construction of buildings. The Guindy National Park area, as per the declaration on September 7, 1978, is 270.57 hectares. Prior to this, there were four instances during which the Guindy Reserve Forest was dereserved.
In 1961, IIT Madras was allotted 154.99 hectares; Guru Nanak College was given 8.09 hectares in 1970; Cancer Institute was allotted 2.51 hectares in 1977; and 3.72 hectares were allotted for construction of Gandhi Mandapam, Rajaji Memorial, and Kamarajar Memorial. T Sengottaiyan, Deputy Secretary to the Governor and Comptroller of the Household, did not respond to multiple calls and messages from TNIE. An email sent to the Governor’s office also went unanswered.
Officials held meet
A meeting was held between Raj Bhavan and Tamil Nadu government officials in 2013 to discuss the constructions on Raj Bhavan land and dereserving it
