CHENNAI: After facing severe criticism for inaction against officials of the registration and revenue departments who were involved in “illegal allocation” of government land parcels to private individuals, the state government constituted two committees on Wednesday. These committees, each headed by an IAS officer, have been tasked with the responsibility of inquiring into the malpractice in issuing patta and selling land in St Thomas Mount and in Pallikaranai marshland.
In an order, B Jothi Nirmalasamy, secretary of the Commercial Taxes & Registration Departments, said a committee led by Chennai Collector Rashmi Siddharth Jagade will investigate the illegal sale of land parcels in the Pallikaranai marshland.
This committee will consist of three other members: Chennai district revenue officer Anushiya, collector personal assistant (general) A Saraswathi, and tahsildhar J Radhakrishnan. The committee will scrutinise the assignment of pattas for individuals, registration of documents at sub-registrar offices, conduct field visits, and submit recommendations on the involvement of officials in the allocation and registration of land.
Similarly, the committee chaired by commercial tax joint commissioner Uma Maheshwari will examine the allocation of government parcels to private individuals in St Thomas Mount village under Pallavaram taluk. Investigation will focus on land parcels belonging to the government, worth several crores, that have been registered at the South Chennai 2 Joint Registrar office. The committee includes two RDOs working for Chennai Metro Rail Limited - Murugan and K Elangovan.
Despite a report from the Alandur tahsildar dated October 28, 2015, which explicitly said land parcels in St Thomas Mount village belonged to the government, parcels in 36 survey numbers were assigned to private persons and registered at the sub-registrar office.
The land parcels were leased to a few people and trusts during the British period over 130 years ago and the lease ended about 50 to 60 years ago. These land parcels that had been unlawfully enjoyed by private persons have been given patta and the same were transferred to others subsequently.