The Hindu 03.12.2010
Sale of Aavin land to Corporation opposed
TIRUCHI: The Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Welfare Association has opposed the proposed sale of the 3.39 acres of land belonging to the Tiruchi District Milk Producers Cooperative Union (Aavin) at Ariyamangalam in the city to the Tiruchi Corporation. The Tiruchi Corporation has proposed to acquire the Aavin land and shift the wholesale section of the Gandhi Market there.
The association has sent a representation to Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi seeking his intervention to stop the sale. N.Ganesan, state joint secretary of the association, said the Tiruchi District Milk Producers Cooperative Union had been functioning since 1940 and was one of the best unions in the State. The Union's land at Ariyamangalam was currently being used for producing mineral mixture to be supplied to the milk producers under the National Agriculture Development Programme. The complex also housed godowns for storing cattle feed and machines.
The land was purchased by the District Milk Supply Union in 1961and handed over to the Tiruchi District Milk Producers Cooperative Union in 1984. The district union, it was understood, was planning to sell the land to the Tiruchi Corporation at cheap rates. The Special Officer does not have the powers to sell the land belonging to the union and the sale of the land would cause considerable financial loss to the union, Mr.Ganesan said and appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene and prevent the sale of the land.
The Association has also filed a writ petition before the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on the matter and sought an injunction against the convening of the general body meeting of the Tiruchi District Milk Producers Cooperative Union to discuss the matter. Though the court has not granted an injunction, notices have been ordered to the respondents, including the Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, Commissioner for Milk Production, District Collector/Special Officer, Tiruchi District Milk Producers Cooperative Union and the Commissioner, Tiruchi Corporation, Mr.Ganesan said. Any resolution or decision taken at the general body meeting shall be subject to the final orders on the writ petition, the court has said.
The Tiruchi District Cooperative Milk Farm Employees Association, affiliated to the CITU, has also condemned the move to sell the land . The land was essential for the union for installing new equipment and other long-term development plans. The land is worth Rs.36 crore and the Corporation was being given the land for just Rs.3 crore, alleged P.Lakshmanan, state vice president of the association in a statement issued here on Thursday.
Mr.Lakshmanan and other CITU members hoisted a black flag in front of the Aavin complex at Kottapattu in the city protesting the move to sell the land.
