The Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning, Coimbatore has informed the Madras High Court that a lock, seal and demolition notice has been issued to Isha Foundation over unauthorised construction in 109 acres of land in Ikkarai Poluvampatti village on December 21, 2012.
Deputy Director Selvaraj also submitted that the Foundation had preferred a revision petition on the notice which is still pending before the appellate authority. He made the submissions on a PIL moved by Vellingiri Hill Tribal Protection Society, Coimbatore, alleging over one lakh square feet illegal construction by the foundation.
According to the counter submitted by the authority, Isha Foundation had applied for permission to establish a 112 feet Shiva statue in the wetlands owned by the Foundation in Ikkarai Poluvampatti village.
Without providing information as to whether the application was allowed or not, the officer has stated that the department has instructed the foundation to obtain no-objection certificates from the District Collector, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Department, the Hill Area Conservation Authority, Forest, Agricultural, and Geology Departments.
It was added that the Executive Authority who is stated to have issued approvals for such constructions had failed to collect the revised fee as per the government order dated June 1, 2007 which has caused revenue loss to the government.
The PIL has been posted for hearing on March 3 by the First Bench of Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh and R. Mahadevn.
