Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

DMK hails regularisation scheme for layouts

Special Correspondent

What about the hefty sum paid by residents for regularisation, asks AIADMK

COIMBATORE: The Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has planned to put up posters across the city thanking the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, for the regularisation scheme for the unapproved layouts. The Minister for Local Administration, M.K. Stalin, announced the scheme in the Assembly on Tuesday.

"A single regularisation charge of Rs. 5 a sq.ft. for layouts formed after January 1, 1980 and Re.1 a sq.ft. for those formed before then is a boon to the 2600 layouts across the State," the Leader of the Opposition in the Coimbatore Corporation Council, K.P. Jagannathan (DMK), said.

Instead of the open space reservation charge, a development charge and a regularisation fee, the Government had now provided a solution in one stroke with just a regularisation fee that was affordable to all sections.

"We experience boundless joy over the announcement. All I can say is that this is a great scheme that brings success to our years-long struggle for amenities in these layouts. (There are over 500 in the city)," he said.

Mr. Jagannathan announced that the DPA parties would put up posters in the city to thank the Chief Minister and point out in the Council meeting on July 28 that their campaign for regularisation had met with success.

The DMK-led Opposition had been raising the issue of regularisation in the Council. They stepped up pressure on the Corporation at least a year before the Assembly elections. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Government had come out with a scheme in January this year but the Opposition found the condition too stiff, especially the payment of a penalty for not providing a reserved space.

Though AIADMK councillors had argued that the scheme introduced by their Government was viable, they still nursed hopes of lesser regularisation charges. Though a single, uniform rate was announced, AIADMK members were circumspect in their reaction to the scheme.

Politically, they could not openly appreciate the scheme. With local body elections in October, it would also be politically risky for them to criticise the scheme if the residents found it viable.

AIADMK councillor and North Zone chairman P. Rajkumar, however, wanted to know what would happen to the hefty sums already paid by residents to the Corporation for regularisation. These residents were waiting for regularisation after paying the charges.

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