Are we going back to Zamindari days, asks Madras High Court

Chennai: Wondering as to whether we are going back to Zamindari days when lands will lie on a few hands, the Madras high court has expressed surprise over the fact that individuals and trusts were sitting on lands measuring several hundred acres. When a case relating to grant of 66 acres of land on Pallikaranai lake bed in favour of a private trust came up for further hearing, Justice N. Kirubakaran asked how trusts were created and hundreds of acres of lands were transferred to them.

The judge said acres were being purchased with ill-gotten and tainted money by corrupt persons, who create trusts. Even goondas were creating trusts. Agricultural lands were shrinking in view of purchases being made for educational institutions and housing colonies, he said. .The judge said if hundreds of acres of lands were purchased how a common man will buy a piece of land for housing. These reckless purchases had put land prices beyond the reach of the common man.

It was only In connection with this case, the judge had earlier cautioned that if left unchecked, land grabbers would sell off even the high court and Fort St George. He had also summoned the Inspector General of Registration to be present in the court to explain the circumstances under which the lands were given away for the trust at the rate of mere Rs 1 lakh per acre. Accordingly, IG (Registration) S. Murugaiah on Wednesday appeared before the court and filed an affidavit stating that the sub-registrar of Ramapuram had been issued with a charge memo in this connection.

A personal assistant (general) to the IG had been issued memo for having replied to police without the knowledge of the head of the registration department.