CAG flags construction of slum tenements on city’s water body
The audit noticed that the CMDA (Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority) had issued orders in October 2020 for the reclassification of ‘water body’ into ‘residential use.
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CHENNAI: In a shocking revelation, an audit report on ‘housing for urban poor’ projects by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that the State government constructed tenements on a water body in Chennai despite having sufficient land at disposal.
According to the report, the State government acquired 74.57 acres on Moorthingar Street, Chennai for construction, and the TN Urban Habitat Development Board constructed 960 tenements under Phase 1 at an extent of 8.96 acres. Further, Phase 2 and Phase 3 works were sanctioned to construct 1,080 tenements on 11.17 acres, works of which are under way.
“Of 74.57 acres allotted, an extent of 4.24 acres was classified as ‘waterbody’. An audit performed spatial data analysis of the site and observed that the construction of phases 2 and 3 was done on the water body of 4.24 acres.
Audit observed that despite sufficient availability of land, the Board constructed tenements on the water body, posing danger to the lives of inhabitants,” it said.
On further scrutiny of the plan approval documents, the audit noticed that the CMDA (Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority) had issued orders in October 2020 for the reclassification of ‘water body’ into ‘residential use’. Such a conversion of a water body to residential use is not permissible and is in violation of High Court judgments.
Incidentally, the audit found that a payment of Rs 24.55 crore was made for ‘completion’ of the project up to the plinth level while satellite images showed that the project was only at ground level and had not reached the plinth level in two blocks. The undue payments to the contractor “for completion up to the plinth level for all blocks” were made in a phased manner.
Noting that the CMDA has reclassified the water body into a ‘residential use’ zone, the audit opined that the Revenue Department is the competent authority for such classification or reclassification of land into a residential zone.
Meanwhile, the report pointed out that the slum areas encroaching on Velachery Marshland and Kovilambakkam Lake in Chennai have grown in size between 2005 and 2021. Also, slums in Pudhu Colony and Pillayarpuram hills in Coimbatore, and Pookara Thoppu in Madurai have grown during the period.
The audit recommended that the government ensure a demand survey, including a comprehensive slum survey, and devise a plan of action to provide houses to all identified beneficiaries.
