CHENNAI: Around eight months after the Madras High Court declared the classification of 13,720 hectares of land spread over 27 villages on the outskirts of Chennai as the catchment area of the Red Hills reservoir unconstitutional, the state government has approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the order.
In May 2024, Justices SS Sundar and N Senthilkumar, while hearing two petitions filed by private companies seeking to quash the lock, seal, and demolition notices issued against their properties by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), ruled that classifying the land as a catchment area according to the Second Master Plan was unconstitutional. The ruling was based on the lack of a scientific study and the failure to acquire the land within three years of the notification.
Following the judgment, many people in the affected villages approached the relevant authorities for plot approvals. Many layouts have reportedly sprung up recently with the hope of receiving regularisation based on the High Court's verdict.
Official sources stated that the CMDA was not seeking to reserve the land for public purposes but intended to classify the zone as an agricultural use zone, with restrictions on changes in land use, in force since 1990. The landowners can continue their agricultural activities in the area, and there is no proposal to acquire such lands, the sources added.
They further stated that since the run-off from the catchment area directly flows into the Red Hills tank, any development in the area would adversely impact the quality and quantity of water in the tanks and increase the risk of flooding.