The Hindu 03.01.2011
“Reserve sites in layouts should be well-marked”
The Federation of All Residents’ Welfare Associations has requested the
director of Town and Country Planning to strictly enforce the rules
regarding allotment of sites for public purposes in new layouts.
Federation general secretary M. Maruthavanan, in a
representation to the director, said that most of the realtors violated
the norms regarding “reserve sites.”
For instance, of 200 new layouts that had come up within
the Cuddalore municipal limits, only 10 had set aside sites for public
purposes.
In peripheral areas such as Nathapattu, Thottapattu,
Kondur, Uppalavadi, Periya Kanganankuppam, Pathirikuppam, Karaikkadu,
Thiruvahindrapuram and Arisi Periyankuppam, such stipulations were
ignored.
Once housing colonies come up, absence of reserve sites would cause social stress.
Therefore, the director should instruct realtors to set apart 10 per cent of the total area of the layout for public purposes.
A board should be put up at the sites, carrying details such as area size and survey number.
The information about all layouts in the municipalities
and panchayats should also be displayed on the noticeboard of the
respective local bodies.
No official of the local body should be allowed to alter
the status of the reserve site. Provisions of the breach of public
trust should be invoked against violators.
Mr. Maruthavanan also appealed to the director to take over the reserve sites that were not duly handed over by the promoters.