Tamil Nadu   

Two writ petitions filed on Kodanad issue

Special Correspondent

One seeks stay on notice; other wants structure demolished

CHENNAI: Two writ petitions, one seeking stay on a notice issued by the Kodanadu Village Panchayat president, and the other seeking demolition of the "illegal and unauthorised" construction in Kodanadu Tea Estate at Kotagiri, have been filed in the Madras High Court.

Justice A. Kulasekaran, before whom the first petition, filed by R. Ravichandran, manager of Kodanad Estate, came up for hearing on Saturday, posted the matter to Tuesday.

When the matter was taken up, N. Jothi, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act alone governed the issue and the village panchayat president was the competent authority to enter and inspect the premises.

`Expedition' flayed

Decrying the district administration for embarking upon an "expedition," accompanied by hundreds of police personnel, counsel said no prior notice was given to the estate administration before the officials "trespassed" into the premises on May 31. The impugned notice is non-est in the eye of law as it is not backed by law, he said, praying for a stay on its operation.

Advocate-General R. Viduthalai said the writ petition was not maintainable as it was premature. He said the authorities were well within their limits to demand furnishing of four documents — building plan, approval if any, topography details and title deed or ownership particulars of the estate — from its management. He alleged that a 43,000-square foot, 90-room building was under construction. It would have an adverse impact on environment if not halted.

"Trees felled"

K.M. Raju, Union Chairman of Kotagiri Panchayat, filed a writ petition, alleging that former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her friend N. Sasikala were putting up a structure, cutting down hundreds of trees in violation of forest and environment laws.

They had built a check dam and an artificial lake by blocking natural flow of a stream across the hills, he submitted, and prayed for interim direction to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Chairman for disconnecting power supply to the estate.

He also sought a direction to the Superintendent of Police of the Nilgiris district to provide sufficient protection to officials for exercising their statutory duty of demolishing the unauthorised portion of the building inside the estate.

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