TAMBARAM: During a discussion on the draft second master plan of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, residents of the southern suburbs sought greater involvement of local bodies in the planning process and adequate publicising of the proposals. The discussion was held at Quaid-e-Milleth College in Medavakkam near Tambaram on Saturday under the auspices of the CMDA and focussed on residents in villages of the St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union.

K. Balachandran, South Chennai District Committee Member of Communist Party of India (Marxist), said the maps and sketches prepared in the proposals should be displayed in the offices of all the 25 Village Panchayats of St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union. Only then would residents know the proposed changes or alterations in land classification, he said. "The CMDA, it seems, has completely ignored the economically weaker sections living in areas adjoining Chennai," Mr. Balachandran remarked, adding there was hardly any mention about their living conditions or what was planned to improve the quality of life of the poor. Further, there were no concrete or comprehensive proposal on tackling sewage and garbage in the rural local bodies.

S. Chandrashekar, joint secretary of Chitlapakkam Anna Nagar (West) Residents Welfare Association said it was very obvious that the CMDA had not involved the local bodies while preparing the draft plan. There were certain glaring and basic errors in statistics pertaining to population among other issues, he said.

If planning for amenities for a projected population twenty years from now was based on the figures mentioned in the draft plan, local bodies and residents would face severe reduction in terms of amenities.

Members of Tirusulam Stone Crushing Owners Association said the plan proposed converting vast areas of land classified as `Non Urban Areas' into `Primary Residential Zone.' It went against the orders of the Supreme Court and also against rules framed earlier by CMDA, he alleged.

D. Ravi, president of the association, said both the apex court and the CMDA had maintained that there should be no construction within 300 metres from the Non Urban Area of Tirusulam panchayat as quarries and stone crushing units functioned there.

Land classification

And the proposal of classifying land close to Non Urban Areas as a Primary Residential Zone not only went against norms, but would also pose problems to people of Tirusulam and future development plans.

K. Ramkumar, a resident, said as per provisions of Coastal Regulatory Zone, there should be no construction activity within 100 metres on either sides of Buckhingam Canal.

But certain survey numbers that were outside 100 metres were also included, Mr. Ramkumar said. He feared that people like him having plots in Injambakkam and nearby areas would be deprived of their right to build a house there.

Residents of Madipakkam said a tank measuring about five acres near the Panchayat office was classified as a piece of land under Primary Residential Zone.

If the CMDA went ahead with the classification, Madipakkam residents would be deprived of a water body, they said. M.V.Raghunath and S. Chitra, Chief Planner and Deputy Planner respectively of the CMDA, made a presentation summarising the provisions of the draft second master plan.

Only a proposal

They told the gathering that the draft plan was only a proposal and that such discussions were held across many places in Chennai Metropolitan Area to gather people's views.

Apart from collecting opinions from people during such meetings, they received suggestions through post and e-mails. All suggestions and objections would be examined, they said.

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