Rejecting the allegation of the DMK that release of water from Chembarambakkam caused flooding in Chennai in December last, Revenue Minister R.B. Udayakumar told the Assembly that granting pattas to encroachers of waterbodies was the real cause of the problem.
“All norms were thrown to wind and rules violated when the DMK government implemented the one-time regularisation scheme under which pattas were granted. Even income limit was not followed in identifying the beneficiaries,” Mr. Udayakumar alleged.
Intervening during a debate on demands for grants for social welfare, Mr. Udayakumar said that though only those who had lived 10 years on poramboke land were eligible for pattas, the period was subsequently reduced to five years and then to three.
“It is done only to benefit those who are close to the DMK. Encroachers of waterbodies were also granted pattas and it caused flooding during monsoon,” he said.
Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam and Highways Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy also cited examples to reiterate that encroachments on waterbodies were to be blamed for the flooding.
“Even in my constituency, pattas were issued to encroachers of a lake who had constructed houses in the middle of the waterbody,” he said, pointing out that the Supreme Court had to intervene and stopped granting pattas to encroachers of waterbodies. Mr. Palanisamy said that over 1,800 pattas were issued to encroachers of a waterbody in Tiruvallur .
When former Revenue Minister I. Periyasamy was allowed to explain the DMK government’s stand, he said that the 10-year period was reduced to five years and three years following a demand from members of the Assembly. “The flood was caused by the release of water from Chembarambakkam,” he said.
However, Mr. Udayakumar said the erstwhile DMK government was behind the demand for reducing the period and ordinary people were not benefitted from the scheme.
At this juncture, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said that a piece of land used as graveyard was given to a relative of former Minister K.P.P. Samy, who vehemently rejected the allegation. “Let the Minister submit proof for his allegation,” he said.
Ministers cited examples to reiterate that encroachments on waterbodies were to be blamed
