HC orders demolition of illegal constructions in TN Dist

Chennai, Mar 5 (UNI) Madras High Court today directed the State and District Authorities to demolish all unauthorised and illegal constructions in Udhagamandalam in three months.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Mr Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifulla passed the interim order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by High Court Lawyer Elephant G Rajendran.

The Bench noted from official records that 1,445 unauthorised constructions had been made in Ooty, Gudalur, Kothagiri and Coonor Taluks in Udhagamandalm District between 1993 and 2007.

Such constructions were either for residential or commercial purposes, it noted and directed the authorities to take necessary steps by enforcing the provisions of Chapter X-A of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act after giving necessary time to the land owners and other persons responsible for such constructions.

After executing the court order, the State authorities should file a compliance report with the High Court Registry, the Bench said and posted the case to June nine, 2008 for further hearing.

UNI XR SJ RL DB2045