No NOC obtained by Isha Foundation, says TN before MHC
The court also directed the Isha Foundation to place all the documents on which it relies with the authority, within two weeks.
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CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government submitted before the Madras High Court that the Isha Foundation has not obtained any permission or no objection certificate to build its construction in Coimbatore.
A petitioner P Muthammal, Vellingiri Hill Tribal Protection Society, President filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Madras High Court (MHC) seeking to direct the Tamil Nadu government to restore the wetlands in Ikkarai Boluvampatti village, Coimbatore by demolishing unauthorized construction done by Isha foundation.
The petition was listed before the first division bench of the MHC comprising Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice P D Audikesavalu.
According to the petitioner, the Isha Foundation constructed 1,00,000 square feet of building in Nanjai agricultural land at Ikkarai Boluvampatti village, illegally without proper permission.
Further, the Isha Foundation made a representation to the Coimbatore district collector to get permission to construct the Sivan statue at a height of 112 square feet and conversion of wetland into a housing site. It is revealed from the RTI that the collector granted the permission in 2016, read the petition. The petitioner also expressed that the action of government officials is not only irresponsible but also shocking.
The petitioner also submitted that the construction done by the Isha Foundation over the past 10 years had emerged as a massive threat to the wildlife.
The Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning Coimbatore submitted a status report stating that no permission or no objection certificate was found in records for the 20.805 hectares of land owned by the Isha foundation in Ikkarai Boluvampatti village. The report also read that the lands are classified as Nanjai, Punjai, and government lands.
After the submissions, the bench directed the joint director of district town and country planning to take further steps expeditiously with regard to the Isha foundation building that may not be constructed in accordance with the plan and the no objection certificate.
The court also directed the Isha Foundation to place all the documents on which it relies with the authority, within two weeks.
