TAMBARAM: A group of people living near the Indian Air Force Station, Tambaram on Thursday appealed to Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin to revoke a Government Order that prevented them from building houses within 900 metres of the outer periphery of the IAF base.

The residents, who are members of the Tambaram IAF Surrounding Areas Affected Peoples' Welfare Association, told Mr. Stalin in a representation that because of G.O. (Ms) No. 160 passed by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department on November 11, 2002 several thousand families of Tambaram, Madambakkam, Selaiyur, Perungulathur, Peerkankaranai, Sadanandapuram, Tiruvanchery and other villages had been put to severe hardship.

The G.O. directed all local bodies not to approve construction, re-construction or changes to buildings within 900 metres of the outer periphery of the base. Because of this, the Tambaram Municipality and the village panchayats were not allowing construction of houses.

Earlier, residents had to obtain No Objection Certificates from the Defence Ministry if they wanted to construct, with certain restrictions.

This had now been done away with.

Citing a letter from Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Union Minister and South Chennai MP, T.R. Baalu, in March 2006, the residents said Mr. Mukherjee had told Mr. Baalu that the "gazette notification issued on May 2001 imposing restrictions on construction up to 900 metres from the boundary of the Air Force Stations/installations has already expired" and that a communication to this effect had been sent to the State governments.

They also pointed out that Mr. Baalu had categorically stated during a recent function at Irumbuliyur near Tambaram that the residents did need not need a NOC for building houses and the State government had to take a final decision.

The residents told Mr. Stalin that the only obstacle now was the G.O. No. 164 issued by the previous government.

The State government should revoke this G.O., residents said, which would benefit to more than one lakh residents living near the Indian Air Force Station, according to T. Victor Devesahayam, secretary of the association.

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