Respite for homebuyers as TNRERA directs promoters to prevent flood

CHENNAI: Giving respite to homebuyers, who suffered from flooding, the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has directed promoters to seek external consulatation on measures to be taken to prevent flood and implement recommendations within a year.

According to complaint filed by K Vijayan, Vasantha Vijayan and Jothika Sakthivel, a joint venture comprising Ashiana Housing Limited and Escapade Real Estate Private Limited built homes for senior citizens in Govindapuram hamlet in Maraimalai Nagar municipality.

The complainants also submitted that the land is an eco sensitive area surrounded by Gudalur Reserve Forest with water bodies such as Gokulapuram lake and Karinilam lake. As the ground level inside the community is sloping downward from southwest to southeast, stormwater enters the community by breaking the boundary wall at several places. They stated that the promoters have violated approved plans resulting in severe flooding in monsoon.

The complainants alleged that the respondents have not built even an inch of stormwater trench along the boundary wall and they have not taken care to build up the ground level (except the club house and central garden) to prevent entry of water from Gokulapuram lake and forest area which are at higher levels than the project site.

However, one of the promoter cited that they obtained no-objection from district forest officer and stated that the site is not near the ecological sensitive area.

They also submitted that rain water trench is available all over the project and are working condition. The flow of water from Gokulapuram Lake into forest area is in its natural flow of water, they said.

Hearing the side, Coram of TNRERA comprising K Gnanadesikan, S Manohar and V Jeyakumar, nominated IIT-Madras as an external consultant to be engaged by the promoters at their cost to examine the adequacy of stormwater management measures in the project and give suitable recommendations to the promoters after hearing the complainants and other allottees.

The external consultant should inspect the project with reference to its topography and sources of flooding.

The authority also directed the promoters to carry out the recommended measures within a period of one year from the date of obtaining recommendations for the external consultant.