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Building demolition triggers DMK protest in Coimbatore

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE Nov. 16. Tension prevailed for more than an hour at Bharathi Nagar in Ramanathapuram this morning when the Coimbatore Corporation removed encroachments.

Besides removing some projections in front of shops, the civic body demolished the ward office of a former DMK Councillor.

The demolition of the building, named Anbil Dharmalingam Ninaivu Mandram, sparked tension. Led by the former Councillor of Ward 13, S. Murugan, DMK volunteers protested the Corporation action and attributed political motive.

The Corporation ordered the demolition on the ground that certain encroachments turned the road too narrow.

The civic body workers removed the structures with police protection. Some residents themselves removed the structures in front of their houses.

However, the demolition of the building led to slogan-shouting and protest by DMK activists. The police removed the activists from the scene, following which the demolition was carried out.

Mr. Murugan alleged that some ``highly placed'' persons in the ruling party targeted the building as it served as an office for the DMK to receive petitions from the people on civic problems.

He questioned the Corporation's claim that the building was an encroachment and said it was part of 1.7 acres purchased by his father and another person in 1976.

The building occupied only two cents and property tax was paid for it.

Sensing trouble sometime ago, he had moved the High Court which gave six weeks' time for completion of formalities and submission of the registration deed.

The time elapsed on Friday and the registration of the two-cent space was scheduled for November 18, he said.

``However, without any prior notice, the Corporation demolished the building when it had not been an encroachment at all.''

The Corporation maintained that it had gone about as per rule and there was no political element in the action.

The civic body also removed 43 huts that encroached an area in Pappammal Layout and Valliammal Street in Ramanathapuram.

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