CHENNAI: The monitoring committee in the CMDA at its meeting here on Wednesday expressed disappointment that the state government took the stand that the committee could only function as an advisory body and should not expect its decision to be binding on the Authority or the government.
“Ten years down the line, everything has now come to square zero”, former IAS officer M.G. Devasahayam, committee member told DC after attending the stormy session.
Other sources said many of the committee members — there are six official and six non-official members —felt that the committee would serve no purpose if its views are taken by the government, which is the final appellant authority by any aggrieved party, chose to ignore as being merely advisory.
“Wrong approvals have been given and could be given in the future, due to various factors, including vested interests. The monitoring committee is important. All these last 10 years since we have been functioning after the Madras HC ordered the committee constitution, we have given our views and they have been taken by the CMDA; buildings have been sealed and buildings have been demolished. I do not know what has happened now suddenly”, said Mr Devasahayam, adding, “Now, the credibility of the CMDA and the monitoring committee is at stake”.
Mr Devasahayam said that if the government now chose to relegate the status of the monitoring committee to merely being ‘advisory’ that should be recorded in writing “because the high court had constituted the committee”.
When contacted, Mr Dharmendra Pratap Yadav, Principal Secretary to Government, Housing & Urban Development Department, who also holds the position of vice-chairman at the CMDA and had chaired the Wednesday session, insisted that the monitoring committee “can take a decision but that will not be binding on the government”.
“According to the guidelines of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, if a petitioner files an appeal against the decision of the monitoring committee, the government has to look at it independently and make a decision,” he added.
According to him, the monitoring committee is supposed to work in tandem with the CMDA.
Its roles are conferred by the government order (GO) but are limited to giving guidance and consultation. “When the development regulations are laid, inputs by monitoring committee are taken into consideration but when a party comes with a grievance due to their (committee) decision, only the government can look into the appeal,” Mr Yadav said.
