Residents of Panimarathur on Thondamuthur road alleged that a private developer had not only removed the Coimbatore Corporations' signboard placed on a reserve site but had also begun developing the plot of land measuring nearly 50 cents.
"Six months ago, people of the area protested against the 'illegal' construction and also seized the machines brought by the construction company for the purpose. The constructors had also dumped sand into a canal passing by the land and blocked it, the locals alleged. They put up a board with the name Golden City Developers and claimed that they had all the required approvals. But since the corporation board was already placed there, we did not allow the construction to take place," said Nehru Dass, district president of Dravidar Viduthalai Kaazhagam.
He said that in the past one week, the owners not only removed the corporation board but also finished constructing a shed on the plot of land.
The developer owns an acre or more of land in that area and the corporation-owned land is situated just beside that property. "They have put up a post to set up a transformer to lay power lines for their apartment complex. When we told them that they could not use the corporation land for setting up the transformers or for laying the power cables, they said they had taken permission from the civic body for this," said R Dharmalingam, an advocate and a resident of the area.
The civic body authorities said that they would inspect the area and take necessary action. "We will ask the assistant town planning officer to inspect the area and submit a report.. Based on that, action would be taken," said a senior town planning officer.
Civic activist S P Thiyagarajan said that there were many such sites that were being neglected by the civic body.
"In many cases, the civic body had won the case and the court order was in their favour. Even those lands are yet to be reclaimed. A disputed one acre land in the East zone located in ward 64 near Uppilipalayam has been termed as a reserve site. The revenue department has also cancelled the patta and the order is in the favour of the civic body. But no action has been taken to reclaim the land," he said.
"Six months ago, people of the area protested against the 'illegal' construction and also seized the machines brought by the construction company for the purpose. The constructors had also dumped sand into a canal passing by the land and blocked it, the locals alleged. They put up a board with the name Golden City Developers and claimed that they had all the required approvals. But since the corporation board was already placed there, we did not allow the construction to take place," said Nehru Dass, district president of Dravidar Viduthalai Kaazhagam.
He said that in the past one week, the owners not only removed the corporation board but also finished constructing a shed on the plot of land.
The developer owns an acre or more of land in that area and the corporation-owned land is situated just beside that property. "They have put up a post to set up a transformer to lay power lines for their apartment complex. When we told them that they could not use the corporation land for setting up the transformers or for laying the power cables, they said they had taken permission from the civic body for this," said R Dharmalingam, an advocate and a resident of the area.
The civic body authorities said that they would inspect the area and take necessary action. "We will ask the assistant town planning officer to inspect the area and submit a report.. Based on that, action would be taken," said a senior town planning officer.
Civic activist S P Thiyagarajan said that there were many such sites that were being neglected by the civic body.
"In many cases, the civic body had won the case and the court order was in their favour. Even those lands are yet to be reclaimed. A disputed one acre land in the East zone located in ward 64 near Uppilipalayam has been termed as a reserve site. The revenue department has also cancelled the patta and the order is in the favour of the civic body. But no action has been taken to reclaim the land," he said.