Opposition parties walk out of Assembly

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, APRIL 28. Almost the entire Opposition today walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly after the TMC clashed with the Treasury Benches over the controversial, but now-revoked G.O. pertaining to alleged sanction for constructing three hotels in the hill-town of Kodaikanal in violation of the rules.

While the TMC MLA, Dr. Chellakumar, repeatedly alleged that a ``fundamental error'' of a serious nature had been `committed' by the present DMK regime in the land-use reclassification, the Government maintained that ``no offence has been committed.'' It was a procedural lapse which had been promptly rectified by the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi by cancelling the orders.

Participating in the discussions on the demands for grants for Housing and Urban Development Department, Dr. Chellakumar asked what action had been taken against the Minister concerned as, without his knowledge, the G.O.s' could not have been issued in the first place.

Recalling the ``Pleasant Stay Hotel'' case under the previous AIADMK regime, Dr. Chellakumar said despite the grave consequences that case has had for the former Chief Minister, Ms.Jayalalitha and others in allowing a hotel to construct additional floors in Kodaikanal though that land was already earmarked for commercial use, in this case a ``mistake has been committed knowingly.''

Refuting the TMC's contentions, the Housing Minister, Mr. K. Pitchandi said what had been cleared was ``land use change'' and not any `permission' for constructing three hotels there.

Mr. Pitchandi said a G.O. came into effect only after it was notified and published in the Gazette. But even before that stage was reached, when an official-level lapse was noticed, the G.O.s' were revoked and no irregularity had taken place.

Even as the other vociferous TMC MLA, Mr. S. Alagiri, came to the aid of Dr. Chellakumar's attack against the Government, the Leader of the House, Mr. K. Anbazhagan, the Transport Minister, Mr. K. Ponmudi and the Labour Minister, Mr. Rahman Khan backed up Mr. Pitchandi's contentions on the issue.

The TMC members in an agitated mood kept revolving around the Minister ``signing the G.O.''. Mr. Alagiri in particular wanted to know whether the Government's policy prerogative to change land-use classification preceded the passing of the G.O.s' or after it.

Defending the Government's position, Mr. Anbazhagan said given the multi-layered nature of State decision-making, the Chief Minister, sensing that the official view in this instance was ``improper,'' had nipped a potential error in the bud.

The ``Pleasant Stay Hotel case'' was entirely different, wherein the former Chief Minister had allegedly abetted a wrong-doing despite an earlier High Court verdict pertaining to that case, Mr. Anbazhagan said, adding, no offence was committed in the present instance.

Mr. Ponmudi made the point that the Chief Minister was alert to notice that if the G.O.s' on land-used change went unchecked, it could thrown open the flood-gates to builders to make similar demands in future and hence cancelled them. There was also a `procedural flaw' as the two Secretaries concerned had not routed their file through the Chief Secretary, he added.

Amid heated arguments from either side on the niceties of whether a Government had the power or not to re-classify land use particularly in a hill area, two contrary view points kept emerging.

Even as the TMC asserted that any change which hit the eco- balance of hill areas and its peaceful environs was not permitted, Mr. Anbazhagan said Government had ``every right to take any policy decision.''

Or else why have a Government, Mr. Anbazhagan asked and added that the Chief Minister, at the same time, could overrule any lower-level decision if proper procedures had not been followed. With the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Paruthi Ilamvazhuthi, at one point asking the Housing Minister to reply to the debate and Mr. Chellakumar's plea on being allowed to complete his speech in vain, the leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. Balakrishnan, led the TMC MLAs' out in protest. Members of the AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M), INL and FB followed suit.

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Section  : Regional
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