Revenue Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran on Friday chaired a meeting of officials from Revenue and Survey and Settlement Departments in Chennai and three neighbouring districts, instructing them to sort out issues relating to grant and transfer of pattas for lands.
He said RDOs had been instructed to camp in their respective areas once every week to rectify patta-related issues.
Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of officials in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, where the land value was estimated to be the highest in the State, he said the meeting was necessitated following complaints of illegal encroachments, bogus pattas and delays in receiving pattas in these districts.
Revenue Secretary Kumar Jayant, Commissioner of Land Administration S. Nagarajan, Additional Commissioner K.S. Palanisamy, Director of Survey and Settlement T.G. Vinay, Additional Commissioner Kalaiselvi and senior officials from these departments were present at the meeting.
“There were applications for rectifying mistakes in pattas and officials have been instructed to rectify them by following due procedure. We have instructed officials to take swift action in case of illegal encroachments on government lands. The government needs lands in these districts for implementing various development works,” the Minister said.
In cases where government lands were found to be in possession of encroachers, the officials had been instructed to secure them at once, he said and added that officials of the Revenue Department were advised to coordinate with other departments if lands were to be acquired for some projects.
In cases where buildings had been constructed over government lands illegally, the Minister said: “The issue will be discussed with the Chief Minister on how to go about them.”
“If the government lands are given on lease to private parties and if dues have not been paid, officials have been instructed to issue 15-day notice and dues were still not paid, lands have to be secured from them,” he said. The Minister instructed officials over processing applications for old age pension.
