Land scam surfaces in Tamil Nadu -Governance Now

Land scam surfaces in Tamil Nadu

Preferential treatement given to judges in allotment of land

PTI | December 7, 2010

After land scams rocking the BJP government in Karnataka, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is now facing charges of misuse of discretionary powers in allotting prime land to scores of people, including MLAs, politicians and top bureaucrats.

Information obtained through an RTI query has revealed prime land was alloted to a judge of the Madras High Court, a retired judge, kin of a state minister, DMK and Congress MLAs, and ruling party functionaries and a top Intelligence official among others allegedly in violation of norms.

According to city-based RTI activist V Gopalakrishnan, who has obtained the information, the allotments were made in the last few years by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB), whose purpose is to create housing stock to applicants who do not own a flat, house or plot.

Several allottees were connected to those in power and included DMK functionaries' kin.

The beneficiaries were allegedly allotted houses in violation of TNHB rules, as most of them already reportedly owned residential property and at far less price than the market rates.

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