V.V. Towers, a landmark building owned by beach minerals mining baron
S. Vaikundarajan’s brother Jegatheesan opposite Government Siddha
Medical College here, was sealed on Monday for alleged building plan
violations.

Even as a police team was providing protective cover, a
team of officials attached to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) sealed
the four-storey building, housing a non-vegetarian restaurant, a super
market and a few more offices, around 7.30 a.m. after Collector and
Chairman of LPA M. Karunakaran inspected the building.

LPA letter

In
a letter sent to Mr. Jegatheesan on April 6, the Member Secretary of
LPA stated that the commercial complex at Murugankurichi had been built
with additional floors in violation of the building plan approval
granted by the LPA.

It had
been built without adequate parking facility. Moreover, no revised plan
approval was obtained from the LPA for the violations.

Since the
commercial complex would be sealed on April 10, operation of the offices
functioning from this building should be stopped completely by removing
the materials stocked in the building under question, the letter said.

“The
building was sealed as it has been built in violation of the building
plan approval granted by the LPA. Similar notices have been sent to the
owners of a few more buildings across the district and appropriate
action will be taken on these notices,” Dr. Karunakaran told the waiting
reporters after inspecting the sealing of V.V. Towers. When the
officials were about to seal the building, a group of advocates tried to
resist the attempt. After the officials told them that they were acting
on the court’s direction, the lawyers left the spot.