Will stall Salem expressway if interim orders flouted: Madras HC

 Chennai: The Madras high court has cautioned the state government of stalling the multi-crore Chennai-Salem Green Corridor, if its interim order, which restrained it from dispossessing land owners from the property, is violated.

A division bench comprising Justices T.S.Sivagnanam and Bhavani Subbaroyan made the observation after noticing a letter issued by the revenue department, which stated that the land survey carried out by the department is completed and a section of such private owned patta lands have been sub-divided in revenue records for the purpose of acquisition. 

“How the authorities sub-divide a land without informing the land owner and that too when the court has passed an interim order? What the authorities have done is completely improper”, the bench added.

Directing the Union government to file the status of the environment assessment process and the state to inform the further course of action, the bench posted to September 14, further hearing of a batch of petitions, challenging acquisition of land for the project.

During the course of hearing, one of the petitioners brought to the notice of the court that over 100 trees on the land sought to be acquired for the project has been cut against the assurance given to the court.

Denying the same, government pleader submitted that the land in question was a government poromboke and that 109 trees were cut by an individual without proper permission and he has been arrested by the local police. He got permission to cut one tree that was dead but managed to cut 109 trees without permission, the government pleader added.  The bench orally said, “We are not children to believe such stories”.