HC directs TN govt to submit chart on govt land

The Madras High Court today directed the state government to file a chart before it with regard to the extent of holding of land by the government as per records.
VBR Menon, a high court advocate, had filed a PIL seeking a direction for setting up a permanent Special Task Force with adequate powers for removal of encroachments on government land.
After going through the counter-affidavit filed by government and rejoinder filed by the petitioner, the court said, "GPS method is being utilised as the methodology for measurement of land. The aforesaid being the position, the next question which arises is that the government must be knowing the extent of the encroachments on their land."

"We thus require a chart to be filed before us with regard to the extent of government holdings as per the records throughout Tamil Nadu," the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh, said.
When it was submitted by the Additional Advocate General P H Arvind Pandian that to begin with he would present the picture in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, the bench agreed and directed the AAG to indicate as to the extent of encroachments of land in the two districts.
The bench, while dealing with the prayer of the petitioner to constitute a permanent special task force to deal with the matter of encroachments, said, "The aspect would be whether there is adequate material in public domain to show the extent of government land and the methodology to detect the encroachments and take action."

In the counter filed by the Secretary to Revenue department, it was submitted that as officials are already taking action with regard to removal of encroachments there was no need for a special task force.
The bench then directed the AAG to submit the details with regard to Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram within a period of six weeks and posted the matter for June 28 for further hearing.