News Today              18.12.2013

‘Constructions by Isha foundation illegal’

The First Bench headed by the Chief Justice R K Agrawal had earlier
ordered the issue of notice to authorities on a petition filed by an
Advocate Vetriselvan seeking a direction to demolish “illegal
constructions built in Isha foundation and to seal the school premises
built in contravention of the rules”.

In the counter-affidavit, Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning
of Coimabtore range said the constructions were illegal and against the
directives of Hill Area Conservation Authority in force from 1990.

Prior approval of Collector was necessary as per the Tamil Nadu Panchayat rules 1997 which was not obtained, it said.

The counter further said that the school in question was being run in
one of the constructions for which lock, seal and demolition notice was
issued. Proposals for approval of all these constructions sent by the
foundation were returned since they were not in proper shape, it said.

As the foundation had not re-submitted the plans as per the
constructions carried out, a stop work notice was issued on November 5
last year, the counter said.

Subsequently, sealing notice was also issued and since total
buildings were constructed without approval from competent authorities
and as the plan was not in full shape it was returned on January 24 this
year, it said.