60-yr-old GO denying pattas to people: VCK MLA

CHENNAI: VCK MLA SS Balaji on Wednesday drew the attention of the state government to a 60-year-old Government Order deterring the issue of pattas to people in the state capital.

Participating in the debate on demand for grants for the revenue department in the State Assembly, Balaji said that a GO was issued in 1950 to prevent the issue of pattas by fixing a five-mile 'belt area' in the then Chengalpet district.

The erstwhile Chengalpattu has been divided into three districts and the then Saidapet Taluk has been divided into many taluks, but the people are still denied pattas in the region around the state capital citing the old GO.

Also drawing the attention of the state government to the plight of inhabitants of meikkal poramboke lands in his Tiruporur constituency, Balaji said that whenever the people living in such meikkal poramboke lands approach the electricity department for connections, they insist that the applicants must avail a "no objection certificate" from the revenue department.

Arguing that the Supreme Court has held that it was a basic right of a citizen to avail electricity connection, the VCK MLA said that when some people have obtained NOC and availed electricity connections in same meikkal poramboke land, why cannot the poor and marginalized get the same.