Interim stay on Tangedco move to not seek completion certificate

A division bench comprising Justice V Parthiban and Justice GR Swaminathan granted the interim stay on Thursday while admitting a plea moved by Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC) in this regard. The bench also issued notice to Tangedco seeking its response on the charge that the circular issued on October 6 contravened an earlier GO, which had made it compulsory for building owners and commercial units to submit CC from their respective local bodies to avail power connection.

The organisation submitted that following a direction from the High Court to check the mushrooming of buildings in violation of norms, the government had, in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, made submission of CC compulsory to avail power connection. The GO had come into effect from July 2020.

However, notwithstanding the High Court direction and the GO, Tangedco issued a circular to its field staff within three months to revert to the earlier system. The plea also pointed out that the GO would have helped avoid illegal constructions in future, but the circular paved way for such violators to thrive.

It may be noted that the GO issued in July had exempted residential buildings, which do not exceed 12 metres height, and do not have more than three dwelling units, as well as buildings with a total built up area of under 750 square metres.