The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) Member Secretary to devise a mechanism for fixing responsibility on officials who fail to take action against unauthorised constructions and submit the details before the court by August 3.
Justices N. Kirubakaran and Krishnan Ramasamy issued the direction on a writ petition related to an unauthorised multi storey building constructed at Lake Area in Nungambakkam. The order was passed in the presence of Commissioner D. Karthikeyan and Member Secretary Rajesh Lakhoni who had been summoned to the court. Expressing displeasure over officials not obeying court orders to initiate action against unauthorised buildings that spring up right under their nose, the senior judge told the two officials that their subordinates would not act “unless they were held accountable and subjected to severe punishment such as withholding their monthly salary.”
The Division Bench also directed the officials to explore the possibility of forming separate squads to keep a check on unauthorised and unapproved constructions in the city. A further direction was issued to the officers to take an inventory of court orders that were yet to be complied and submit the details during the next hearing. The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) was also asked to make sure that only treated sewage was let into rivers running through the city.
Regarding the revision of property tax , the judges directed the Municipal Administration Secretary to take a decision in two weeks on a proposal submitted by the Corporation Commissioner. They wondered how the corporation would be able to provide basic amenities when the rate of tax had not been revised since 1998.
