Everything as per rules: Muthusamy debunk allegations by BJP

CHENNAI: Responding to an allegation of favoritism made by BJP state president K Annamalai against the State Housing and Urban Development department, its minister S Muthusamy debunked the allegations and said that planning approvals were given following the rules.

"The question should not be about to whom we have issued planning permissions. It should be on any violation that occurred while processing the applications. There were no violations; all the applications were processed as per rules. There is no application received by the CMDA from G Square. Chennai Corporation only has received a few applications," Muthusamy told reporters here on Wednesday.

While addressing the press on Sunday, Annamalai alleged that DTCP (Directorate of Town and Country Planning) and CMDA (Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority) gave approvals to a real estate company within a few days while others had to wait for around 200 days. He said that the company is doing 15 major land developments across Tamil Nadu

Responding to this, Muthusamy said that applications for land development projects listed by Annamalai were received several months ago and applicants were different persons, not from G Square.

Annamalai also alleged that the CMDA has appointed a CEO to favour the company by saying there was no such post in the planning authority. However, the minister debunked the claim and said that the CEO post is in the CMDA since 1978 and 46 IAS officials were in the post. "During the last 2 years, the post was kept unfilled. Now, we have just filled the vacancy, " he added.

"The Chief Minister wants all the operations should be done as per the rules. Even for the construction of the Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) memorial in Marina, the government has rectified all the issues before availing of CRZ clearances. Similarly, for Kalaignar Manimandapam in Thiruvarur, there was an issue with OSR (open space reserve) norms, the party has rectified the issues to avail permissions as per the norms,” he said.

Are you in Chennai? Then click here to get our newspaper at your doorstep!