Date:01/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/01/stories/2008080159540200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Enquiry into fake building plan approval certificates

Staff Reporter

Member submits documents to Mayor in support of his claim

MADURAI: Fake building plan approval certificates, purportedly issued by the Corporation, are doing the rounds in the city, Congress councillor I. Siluvai has alleged.

Speaking at the council meeting held here on Wednesday, he submitted a few documents to Mayor G. Thenmozhi to support his allegation. Members of all parties — All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — sought stringent action against perpetrators of the crime.

P. Salamuthu of AIADMK said that the local body was facing revenue loss of crores of rupees because of the fake plan approvals. CPI (M) member M. Ganesan and AIADMK member K. Rajapandiyan recalled that a similar issue was raised in the council a couple of years back.

City Town Planning Officer (CTPO) Murugesan said that criminal action was initiated against the accused and the case was pending before court.

Mr. Siluvai attributed such fraudulent incidents to lack of adequate bill collectors. “The bill collectors sit in computerised tax collection centres. Only if they go out for field work, they will know about the construction of new buildings,” he added.

The members wanted to scrutinise the genuineness of plan approvals. DMK member D.C. Naganathan complained that brokers were found in vast numbers in the offices of Assistant Town Planning Officers, which was endorsed by Congress leader M. Subburaman.

The Mayor directed the CTPO to conduct an enquiry into the issue.