CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition MK Stalin again raised the issue of Governor Banwarilal Purohit holding meetings with government officials in every district. However, Speaker P Dhanapal allowed him to raise the issue, but refused to permit a discussion on it.
Stalin for the first time, revealed that indeed he had asked the Chief Secretary and Commissioner of revenue administration to arrange for the meetings. Terming such meetings a big threat to State autonomy, Stalin demanded a reply from Chief Minister. However, the Chief Minister did not yield.
Protesting the Chief Minister’s silence on the issue, Stalin led his party colleagues in a walk out. Congress MLAs too followed suit.
CM slams DMK regime
Chief Minister hit out at the DMK for providing house site pattas on waterbodies. He said during the DMK regime several pattas were given in a water body at Thirunindravur in Thiruvallur district.
“As many as 35,000 pattas were given to those who lived in government poromboke lands and now thousands of residents are waiting for pattas since many years; their applications are pending.
Special classification needed to protect civil structures
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday said it will look into a plea seeking special classification to protect civil structures constructed far away from water bodies. This was announced by RB Udhayakumar, Revenue minister, while replying to S Austin of DMK, who during the debate in the Assembly on demands for grants for Revenue and Disaster Management, sought a special classification to protect buildings built far away from water bodies but termed water body poromboke.
The MLA said though several buildings had been constructed far away from water bodies, the lands had been classified as water body poromboke. Hence, as per Supreme Court ruling the buildings have to be demolished. Several government buildings are also facing the same situation. In order to protect the civil structures, the State government should enact a special classification so that these structures would be protected. “The matter will be taken up with the Chief Minister and appropriate steps taken,” the Minister said.
Assembly House plunges into laughter
Chennai: Members of the Assembly burst into laughter following lighter vein remarks of veteran legislator and Deputy Leader of Opposition, Durai Murugan. During the question hour, Durai Murugan requested the government to protect folk arts and folk artistes. Minister for Tamil Culture, K Pandiarajan said the government had already been taking many measures for the welfare of folk artistes. Speaker asked whether Durai Murugan had acted in dramas. “As Shakespeare said All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. Even those in the House are acting in one way or the other. I am acting and you (the Speaker) too are acting.”