CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has quashed a land acquisition order issued by the State Highways Department for the development of an industrial corridor from Chennai to Kanyakumari through Namakkal. The court has directed the department to hear the valid objections, raised by the sections of landowners in Mohanur, prior to acquiring the property.
The issue pertains to a section of residents living along the Mohanur-Namakkal- Senthamangalam- Rasipuram Road where the Chennai- Kanyakumari industrial corridor is passing through. The residents challenged the notification issued by the Highways department to acquire their properties. The petitioners raised objections stating that there were several government properties available through the route, however, the government did not consider them.
Justice Anand Venkatesh while quashing the notification of the Highways department observed, “ These are cases where the citizens lose their valuable property and for many a house property is a lifetime investment and they may not be in a position to buy or construct another house.
Therefore, while considering the objections, it has to be undertaken with all seriousness and not as a mechanical rejection.” The court also found that the Commissioner of Land Administration passed the orders for acquisition as per the note sent by the Land Acquisition officer.
The court observed, “The Government is the acquiring body and therefore the Act is vesting such power only on the Government and no one else will have the power to pass such an order rejecting the objections.
This scheme of the Act has not been properly understood by the Commissioner of Land Administration.Consequently, the Commissioner has proceeded to pass a mechanical order by placing reliance upon the order passed by the Land Acquisition officer, which is in violation of the provisions of the Act and Rules..” The court directed the entire process to be completed within 12 weeks.
Man seeks permission to inaugurate Karuna statue in private land
Chennai: A Madhavaram resident has moved court for permission to inaugurate a statue of former chief minister M Karunanidhi in his private land. M Narayanan, in his plea before the Madras High Court, submitted that he had already installed the statue in his property at Vadaperumpakkam and had invited DMK chief MK Stalin for the inauguration.
“In August as well as in September, I sent representations to police and the tehsildar seeking permission for the inauguration. But, they have not responded yet. Senior counsel NR Elango argued that the law allows citizens to install statues of leaders in private properties and several judgments in this regard have also been passed by the Supreme Court. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana asked the petitioner to also submit all SC judgments. The court adjourned the plea to November 2.