logo
Land acquisition delay: Madras HC summons chief secretary

Land acquisition delay: Madras HC summons chief secretary

MADURAI: Expressing displeasure at the state government's delay in releasing funds to the tune of Rs 25.4 crore towards acquisition of 9.5 acres of temple land in front of the court campus, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday summoned the chief secretary of Tamil Nadu for an explanation. If the amount is released by the next hearing on August 13, the authority need not appear, the court added.
'If the government is not able to spare a sum of Rs 25,42,21,775 for additional infrastructure to the high court in the state, it reflects the poor state of affairs prevailing in the state,' a bench of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan remarked.
The bench, which was hearing a batch of petitions filed in connection with the said land parcel, was specifically constituted to monitor the acquisition process and issue directions as required. When the matter was heard in April this year, the bench had made serious observations over the delay and had directed the authorities to act swiftly considering the dire need of the land parcel for the court's use. Even then, there has been no major progress except exchange of communication between officers at the lower level, the judges said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Assam govt to spend Rs 325 crore for cashless medical treatment of needy citizens
Assam govt to spend Rs 325 crore for cashless medical treatment of needy citizens

Hans India

time28 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Assam govt to spend Rs 325 crore for cashless medical treatment of needy citizens

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the state government is set to spend at least Rs 325 crore for the cashless medical treatment of needy citizens, and the cabinet has cleared the decision. The initiative, Mukhya Mantri Ayushman Asom Yojana, will get the additional funding of Rs 325 crore for the current fiscal year, and the cabinet has given the nod on Wednesday night under the chairmanship of CM Sarma. Meanwhile, on the power front, the Cabinet gave post-facto approval for the procurement of 500 MW of electricity from the Ministry of Coal at Rs 5.79 per unit, a move aimed at ensuring affordable and reliable electricity for consumers. In a boost to renewable energy goals, the government also sanctioned a 1,500 MW Pumped Storage Project in Karbi Anglong, which is expected to significantly contribute to Assam's clean energy capacity. In a bid to enhance the state's industrial climate and streamline construction norms, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Assam Unified Building Construction (Regulation) Byelaws, 2022. The changes are intended to promote the ease of doing business, encourage the development of green buildings, and enable smaller plots to benefit from the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Policy. The amendments also aim to facilitate affordable housing projects for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). As part of the Mission Basundhara 3.0 initiative, the Cabinet also approved the reclassification of land in eight proposals in Dhubri and Biswanath districts. This reclassification will regulate land use changes and transfers for non-agricultural purposes, streamlining the process for development while ensuring compliance with state regulations. Chief Minister Sarma described the decisions as steps towards "ensuring quality healthcare for all, securing reliable power supply, and enabling faster industrial growth".

Uttarakhand HC issues orders to postpone public hearing on Bindal-Rispana road project till Aug 25
Uttarakhand HC issues orders to postpone public hearing on Bindal-Rispana road project till Aug 25

Time of India

time41 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Uttarakhand HC issues orders to postpone public hearing on Bindal-Rispana road project till Aug 25

Representative image. DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday directed the sub-divisional magistrate of Dehradun to postpone the public hearing on the proposed Rs 6,500 crore Rispana–Bindal elevated road project till Aug 25. The order came while hearing a PIL filed by Anoop Nautiyal, founder of the Dehradun-based Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, against the project, which he said would displace thousands of slum dwellers and 'cause irreversible ecological damage.' The court also questioned Nautiyal's legal right to bring the case to court, asking, 'How is he affected? What is his cause? He is just complaining about an infraction of the rule here.' Nautiyal's counsel told the court that the govt had issued a notice on July 29 announcing the public hearing would take place from Aug 5 to 15, but under the Land Acquisition Act, the social impact assessment (SIA) report must be published three weeks before the hearing. Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra, after noting that the report was uploaded only on Aug 2, making the earliest permissible date for the hearing Aug 23, gave the orders to postpone the dates. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn More - How Donating Sperm May Boost Your Income SpellRock Undo The next hearing is scheduled for Sept 4. The petitioner's counsel claimed around 2,600 households would be affected by the project to which the court asked for details of the individuals whose land was to be acquired. The counsel said the SIA report did not name them but noted that 42.3 hectares of land would be acquired, including riverside areas. The court remarked, 'Alongside the river is the riverbank which is a prohibited area.' The counsel added that some land comprised forest areas and permanent structures. 'For forest land, the govt will have to seek clearance. For private land, they will have to notify for acquisition. You will have the opportunity to object then,' the bench observed. It further commented, 'It's an infra project, at the most it will be postponed by three weeks. We can ask them to redo the exercise.' Meanwhile, the counsel of SIDCUL, made a party to the PIL, argued that the organisation was wrongly impleaded as it has no role in the project and is not the executing agency. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. "Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."

Police Detain Hundreds of Protesting Sanitation Workers in Chennai
Police Detain Hundreds of Protesting Sanitation Workers in Chennai

The Wire

timean hour ago

  • The Wire

Police Detain Hundreds of Protesting Sanitation Workers in Chennai

In a massive police crackdown hours after the Madras high court's directive, hundreds of protesting sanitation workers were detained in Chennai late on Wednesday night. Hundreds of sanitation workers have been protesting for over 13 days against the move to privatise their jobs. On Wednesday, 13 August, the Madras High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government to remove the protestors from outside the Greater Chennai Corporation headquarters. Platoons of police personnel were deployed to clear protesters from the site, citing disturbance to public peace by occupying footpaths and causing traffic congestion. The high court held that the sanitation workers were protesting in an unauthorised site. A tense situation prevailed outside the Chennai Corporation headquarters as protesters intensified over the police's attempt to drive out sanitation workers and their supporters, who have been protesting against the MK Stalin-led DMK government. The court order The high court had directed that occupying public footpaths without permission is not allowed, stating that it is creating a problem for the public, including traffic congestion, and ordered the state to clear the protest site. The court has also instructed the police to act with restraint and clarified that the workers can continue their agitation at officially designated protest venues after obtaining due permission. Despite the court's order, sanitation workers continued to occupy the site, insisting that the government should respond to their justified demands. Although the court had given them time until Wednesday evening to vacate, the agitating sanitation workers continued to sit in protest at the site. Their defiance led to police intervention and the forceful removal of nearly 800 sanitation workers and their supporters. The workers have been protesting against the Greater Chennai Corporation's (GCC) decision to privatise garbage collection in Zones V and VI since 1 August 2025 The privatisation plan, valued at Rs 2,500 crore, has led to significant concerns among the workers. They allege that the move has resulted in reduced wages, from Rs 23,000 to as low as Rs 15,000 and diminished benefits. Additionally, there are claims of increased workloads and a lack of safety equipment. The workers, who have been employed by the GCC for over 15 years, express frustration over the sudden policy change and the perceived erosion of their job security. The protest has also led to a pile-up of waste in Chennai, causing inconvenience to residents across the city.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store