The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : AIADMK leader denies charge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 19, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

AIADMK leader denies charge

Special Correspondent

C.V. Shanmugam

CHENNAI: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday denied Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin's charge that `Tindivanam lake' was chosen as the site for a new bus stand in the town during its rule.

In a statement here, former Minister and Villupuram (north) district unit secretary of the AIADMK C.V. Shanmugam said the Tindivanam municipality adopted a resolution on November 27, 1991, seeking allotment of a site in the lake for the bus stand. But the then AIADMK Government did not concede the demand.

Only during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule, the municipality passed another resolution on May 25, 1998, highlighting the same demand. Accepting the plea, the then DMK Government issued a G.O. on March 5, 2001 to transfer six acres in the lake to the municipality. The land ownership was transferred to the municipality on January 14, 2003, as per the G.O., he said.

However, the AIADMK Government on April 29, 2003, issued a G.O. prohibiting encroachment or destruction of water bodies such as ponds, tanks and lakes, Mr. Shanmugam recalled.

Following objections raised by the public to set up the new bus stand at the `Tindivanam lake' site, the municipality passed a unanimous resolution on July 30, 2004 to choose a new site belonging to the Wakf Board on the National Highway.

In view of the contradiction between the resolutions adopted by the civic body in 1998 and 2004, the municipality sought the opinion of the Collector. After inspecting both the venues, the Collector gave a report to the Government on February 11, 2005. The Collector and the Executive Engineer of the municipality gave identical views that the Wakf Board land was the suitable site for the new bus stand, he said.

On the basis of their opinion, the municipality decided on August 17, 2005, to take six acres of the Wakf Board land on lease and sought the Government's sanction. On the basis of the resolutions passed by the municipality on July 30, 2004, and August 17, 2005, and also accepting the opinion of the Collector, the Government issued a G.O. (Number 136) and the Wakf Board land was handed over to the municipality. The bus stand was temporarily shifted to the new venue on December 28, 2005, Mr. Shanmugam said.

On the assessment of a team of experts belonging to the Anna University, technical sanction to the tune of Rs.4.58 crore was given and tenders were called on February 18, 2006, he said.

However, the DMK Government had now made the municipality to revive the 1998 resolution and hold the tenders null and void.

The High Court had twice dismissed petitions seeking permission to set up the new bus stand on the lake site, he said adding that the court had also stayed the resolution passed by the municipality. Against this backdrop, the move to choose the lake for the bus stand would go against law, he opined.

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