MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to government of Tamil Nadu to ensure that the high-level committee, formed by the state to monitor and remove unauthorised constructions, meets once a month and submits a report.
A bench of justices SM Subramaniam and AD Maria Clete gave the direction recently after observing that despite several judgments passed by the high court and the Supreme Court regarding measures to be taken against unauthorised constructions, authorities remain mere spectators to the issue.
The state government, based on the directions issued by the HC in a similar matter, had passed a G.O. on March 1, 2024 for the constitution of a high- level monitoring committee to curb and monitor unauthorised constructions. The functions of the committee included preparing an action plan at urban local bodies’ level for removal of unauthorised constructions, monitoring inspection of violated buildings, meeting once in a month and submitting monthly reports to the government, among others.
The judges observed that it is not clear whether the committee is performing the above functions effectively as directed by the HC. If not, the directions issued by the Supreme Court and the HC would become futile, he added and directed the chief secretary to periodically monitor the committee’s functions and take necessary action against authorities who fail to implement the G.O.
The directions were issued on a petition filed by M Daniel Simiyon Sudan seeking a direction to remove a rice mill which was allegedly set up without obtaining building plan permission, at Srirangam in Tiruchy.
The judges directed the authorities to follow due procedures and if the allegations were found to be true, take necessary action to remove the unauthorised construction within two months. The case was listed on August 7 for reporting compliance.