The Tirunelveli Corporation is all set to resume its drive against unauthorised buildings within a month.
Since building plan approval should be obtained without fail from the local body concerned for constructing house, shops, hotels, restaurants, hospitals etc. the applicants should submit their plan to the civic body for its approval and start the construction only after getting the formal approval. And, the applicants should strictly adhere to the plan approved by the local body and any violation would attract severe penalties and even lead to demolition of the unapproved portions.
When former Commissioner V. Sivakrishnamurthy cracked the whip against unauthorised structures and the drive moved to top gear in last August against 15 illegal structures after 75 buildings were scrutinised, a section of the ruling DMK office-bearers exerted pressure on the Corporation officials to stall the drive. After the owners of these buildings failed to submit any plan approval to the inspectors of the urban civic body, the drive against these buildings were started by issuing Form – 1, the first step of the drive.
Form – 1 requires the violators to submit the actual building plan approval given by the Corporation. On receiving the building plan approval from the owner of the building, the Corporation will compare the approval with actual construction made in the site. If the deviations or violations are confirmed, appropriate action will follow. If Form – 7, the last Form of this series, is served, the violator will have to remove the portion built in violation of the approval given by the Corporation or, the urban local body will remove the portion and collect from the owner the expenses incurred in the demolition.
Even though the Corporation officials could identify good number of unauthorised constructions within Tirunelveli and Palyamkottai, the drive took a back seat for sometime and now it is set to resume.
“We, after recent inspections, have submitted a fresh list of unauthorised buildings within the city. We expect the Commissioner to issue due orders shortly for commencing the drive against the illegal structures,” said a senior official of Tirunelveli Corporation.
