The corporation manages to get favourable judgements in 10 cases slapped against the town planning department in the last two months. The cases, pertaining to encroachment removal, building deviations, denial of approvals and illegal constructions had been pending for more than 3 years and four cases in the district court were close to 8 years old. However, the civic body still has a mound of cases pending.
Senior corporation officials said they were taking measures to ensure several cases are disposed quickly. "We are taking measures to ensure that if an order is issued, action is taken immediately," said a senior corporation official.
Thiyagarajan, RTI activist who mainly works on reserve sites, said that because of increased awareness, many people were coming forward to file such cases. "While most cases are easily disposed at the high court with judgement in favour of the corporation, there are several long pending cases in the district court and sub-court," he said.
As per the civic body records, there are over 1155 cases pending against the civic body of which 627 are in high court and 525 in lower courts. Three cases are pending with the Supreme Court as well, said an official. But at the same time last year, there were over 1248 cases pending. "We have disposed over 93 cases in the last one year and most of the judgements were in our favour," said an official. The civic body faces 501 cases against the revenue department and 456 cases against the town planning department.
Of these cases, the maximum number of cases has been filed by residents of central zone. "From the central zone, 216 cases are pending in the high court and 245 cases are pending in the Supreme Court," said an official. The north zone has over 231 cases, east zone, 202 cases, west zone, 131 cases, and south zone, 118 cases.
Civic body officials said that whenever they tried to reclaim encroached land or issue lock and seal order against building owners, the violators filed a case. "Since we have the building designs and enough proof, we are confident that all these cases would be in our favour," said a town planning official.
But activists alleged that in cases where politicians, corporation councillors or government employees were involved, the civic body neither took action nor filed counters in the high court to speed up the project. Also, the officials were keen on disposing cases related to the tax department. "In one such case in the corporation south zone, the civic body counsel has neither filed a counter appeal nor taken any steps to speed up the trial," said Thiyagarajan. But civic authorities said they were doing their best to dispose the cases.
Senior corporation officials said they were taking measures to ensure several cases are disposed quickly. "We are taking measures to ensure that if an order is issued, action is taken immediately," said a senior corporation official.
Thiyagarajan, RTI activist who mainly works on reserve sites, said that because of increased awareness, many people were coming forward to file such cases. "While most cases are easily disposed at the high court with judgement in favour of the corporation, there are several long pending cases in the district court and sub-court," he said.
As per the civic body records, there are over 1155 cases pending against the civic body of which 627 are in high court and 525 in lower courts. Three cases are pending with the Supreme Court as well, said an official. But at the same time last year, there were over 1248 cases pending. "We have disposed over 93 cases in the last one year and most of the judgements were in our favour," said an official. The civic body faces 501 cases against the revenue department and 456 cases against the town planning department.
Of these cases, the maximum number of cases has been filed by residents of central zone. "From the central zone, 216 cases are pending in the high court and 245 cases are pending in the Supreme Court," said an official. The north zone has over 231 cases, east zone, 202 cases, west zone, 131 cases, and south zone, 118 cases.
Civic body officials said that whenever they tried to reclaim encroached land or issue lock and seal order against building owners, the violators filed a case. "Since we have the building designs and enough proof, we are confident that all these cases would be in our favour," said a town planning official.
But activists alleged that in cases where politicians, corporation councillors or government employees were involved, the civic body neither took action nor filed counters in the high court to speed up the project. Also, the officials were keen on disposing cases related to the tax department. "In one such case in the corporation south zone, the civic body counsel has neither filed a counter appeal nor taken any steps to speed up the trial," said Thiyagarajan. But civic authorities said they were doing their best to dispose the cases.