The Ulagath Thamizhar Peramaippu Trust has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking to quash a show cause notice of a panchayat last month making certain allegations relating to the Mullivaikkal Ninaivu Mutram (memorial) in Thanjavur district.
It also sought a direction to the authorities not to interfere with the possession of the lands concerned owned by the trust. The trust chairman, P.Nedumaran said the trust after obtaining the approved plan put up the construction at Pappa Nagar in Vilaar Panchayat in memory of Tamils who were killed, and to highlight the sufferings of Tamils in Sri Lanka. It was opened to the public on November 6. The panchayat board issued a show cause notice dated November 14 to the trustees, which was received two days later, making allegations, including that there were some violations of the approved plan in the construction.
Also, the structure had encroached on the street. The trust was asked to give an explanation as to why the permission and building plan approval should not be cancelled.
An interim reply to the notice was given.
The trust said the building was constructed as per plan. The allegations were false. The notice was not in conformity with the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Building Rules. The authorities demolished the compound wall, fountain lights and lamps and destroyed the expensive nameplate of the memorial and uprooted the trees, plants and grass which had been raised after obtaining necessary permission. The petitioner said he apprehended that there was every chance of the authorities cancelling the permission and the building plan approval granted for the memorial. Hence, the present plea.
A Division Bench comprising Justices S.K.Agnihotri and K.K.Sasidharan has adjourned the matter to December 17 (Tuesday.)
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai on Monday directed Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian to get instructions from the Thanjavur Collector, the Thanjavur SP and the Divisional Engineer of the Highways Department on a petition filed by Mr. Nedumaran, seeking declaration of the demolition of a portion of the compound wall of the Mullivaikal Martyrs Memorial as illegal.
In his petition, Mr. Nedumaran also pleaded with the court to initiate action against officials involved in the ‘high-handed demolition’.
The department had granted permission to the trust to establish a park on the land in Villar under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001, he claimed. However, the department pulled down a portion of the compound wall without issuing any statutory notice. A Division Bench posted the case to December 19
