The Hindu : Front Page : Draft master plan for Chennai fails to address key issues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
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Draft master plan for Chennai fails to address key issues

Special Correspondent

"Official panel must participate in public hearings"

MAKING HIS POINT: S. Ramadoss, Pasumai Thayagam founder having a word with M.G. Devasagayam, managing trustee of SUSTAIN, at a meeting on the Second Master Plan for the Chennai metropolitan area on Tuesday. — Photo: S.S. Kumar

CHENNAI: The draft second master plan for Chennai, prepared by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, has failed to address vital issues in depth, including regulation of real estate business, livelihood and shelter security for the poor, environment and sustainable resource management, said speakers at an interactive session here on Tuesday.

They said that if the vision of the CMDA was to make Chennai a prime metropolis, which will be more liveable, economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable, stress should be laid on these vital issues in the final document. Though the Government was conducting public consultations, no purpose would be served if the suggestions were not included in the final proposal.

Consensus among the speakers was that the Government should appoint an official committee to participate in the public hearings.

S. Ramadoss, Pasumai Thayagam founder, which organised the session, said the organisation would prepare its own master plan after conducting similar public consultations and submit it to the Government.

M.G. Devasahayam, managing trustee, SUSTAIN, said the master plan should be prepared in a participatory and consultative manner.

Tara Murali, Managing Trustee, CAG, said there were still problems with draft plan in the matter of presentation, contents and public participation.

The language used in the document was too technical and was not user-friendly. There were several issues that were to be debated and addressed, but did not figure in the draft plan.

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