The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has petitioned Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi, seeking action against a government-aided school for alleged illegal construction of commercial properties on the school land.
G. Selva, district secretary, Chennai Central district unit of the CPI(M), said that a shopping complex, a vegetable shop and a hotel were built on the land of Singaram Pillai Higher Secondary School in Villivakkam.
“This is in violation of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Regulation Act and the orders of Directorate of School Education that prohibit aided schools from arbitrarily diverting, mortgaging, donating or selling school land for other purposes. The school management even demolished some existing school buildings for constructing these commercial properties,” he alleged.
Apart from the violations of rules of the School Education Department, he said that information obtained through Right to Information had also revealed that the buildings were constructed without adhering to town planning regulations.
Pointing out that a petition was submitted to the previous commissioner of GCC in December 2020, he said that though enquiries were conducted there was delay in taking action. “When Chief Minister M.K. Stalin visited our constituency for election campaign, we brought the issue to his notice and he promised to take action,” he said.
“We have now met the present commissioner and highlighted the issue. We have asked for swift action to seal the commercial buildings and bring the land back the use of the school. He has promised to check immediately,” Mr. Selva added.
