Tangedco tower on patta land: Officials await Collector’s call

VELLORE: The Tangedco erecting a transmission tower on a patta land, located at Brammapuram village in Katpadi taluk, owned by a widow of a former electricity department official has resulted in her daughter running to the Collector’s office every week seeking removal of the tower.

Sources said that the tower was meant to benefit a private university. The tower was erected on land (survey number 42/4 Brammapuram village) owned by S Komala, wife of the late EE (general) Pon Anandaraj.

In her petition to the Collector dated October 31, she claimed that the patta for the land was in her name and it was purchased by her late husband. She further added that the tower was set up without her knowledge or permission. She also stated that documents of land belonging to the private university and patta lands were also available but that the tower was set up on her land.

Subashini, the daughter, who spoke to DT Next said, “We submitted petitions to the Collector during the weekly grievance day meetings on October 3 and 10 as also now. The Collector informed us that our objection had been forwarded to the EE (Tirupattur) who was in charge of the area under question.”

However, when this reporter spoke to Tirupattur EE Balaiah, the latter replied that under Sec 68 and 164 of the Indian Electricity Act 2003 and Sec 10 of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, “we have the power to trespass on any land for setting up EB facilities. If the owners object, the matter will be referred to the Collector for issue of power to enter the land. We now await the Vellore Collector’s decision in this regard.”

“We will prevail upon the Collector to ensure that the tower is removed from our land,” Subashini noted.