Following an order from
the Madras high court, the city municipal corporation surveyed the reserve park
site in Lovely Nagar in Thudiyalur on Monday. Meanwhile, according to
residents, an earthmover removed the encroachment on Thursday.
On March 18, the Madras high court had issued an order stating that, "If the area has been earmarked for a park, and the layout plan has been approved, then the local body ... has to protect the same...Therefore, the 1st respondent (in this case the corporation commissioner)... to verify the necessary details, and if it is found that the area has been earmarked for a park, ensure that there is no construction put up in the area."
Corporation Commissioner, K Vijayakarthikeyan told TOI, "We have received the order, and the concerned officials have been instructed to take suitable steps." On the other hand, officials of the town planning authority (TPA), said that they had visited Lovely Nagar, and surveyed the area. "But, no eviction was carried out on Thursday," an official of TPA said.
According to the petitioner, M Balasubramaniam, a resident of the area, the corporation has allocated 10,510sqft as reserve park site. "But, the corporation did not preserve the land. A ground-level sump has been installed in the site, and there is no compound wall erected to protect the site from encroachment," said Balasubramaniam. "At the same time, residents want to use some part of the reserve site as an extension for a temple adjacent to the site," he said.
Balasubramaniam said that an earthmover was brought to the area and some work was carried out but it was not satisfactory. "It looked like the work was done for namesake. They did nothing but level some debris. When I spoke to them, they said they were from the corporation," he said.
Corporation officials denied that an eviction was conducted, but, the residents have recorded a video of the activity, which is with TOI.
On March 18, the Madras high court had issued an order stating that, "If the area has been earmarked for a park, and the layout plan has been approved, then the local body ... has to protect the same...Therefore, the 1st respondent (in this case the corporation commissioner)... to verify the necessary details, and if it is found that the area has been earmarked for a park, ensure that there is no construction put up in the area."
Corporation Commissioner, K Vijayakarthikeyan told TOI, "We have received the order, and the concerned officials have been instructed to take suitable steps." On the other hand, officials of the town planning authority (TPA), said that they had visited Lovely Nagar, and surveyed the area. "But, no eviction was carried out on Thursday," an official of TPA said.
According to the petitioner, M Balasubramaniam, a resident of the area, the corporation has allocated 10,510sqft as reserve park site. "But, the corporation did not preserve the land. A ground-level sump has been installed in the site, and there is no compound wall erected to protect the site from encroachment," said Balasubramaniam. "At the same time, residents want to use some part of the reserve site as an extension for a temple adjacent to the site," he said.
Balasubramaniam said that an earthmover was brought to the area and some work was carried out but it was not satisfactory. "It looked like the work was done for namesake. They did nothing but level some debris. When I spoke to them, they said they were from the corporation," he said.
Corporation officials denied that an eviction was conducted, but, the residents have recorded a video of the activity, which is with TOI.