Civic body gives RTI Activist the run around

According to RTI petitioner V. Gopalakrishnan, close to six grounds of pri­me land that was to be converted into a public park, is missing from Viruga­mbakkam.

“I got a layout document, dating back to the early 1960s on Chinmaya Gram Stage II (Sencheri village no. 105, Saidapet taluk, of erstwhile Chengalpet district, now Egmore-Nunga­mbakkam taluk, Chennai district). As per the appr­oved layout, two places were allotted for parks. One of the parks should have come to an extent of 5 ground 2,256 square foot, and this park is missing as also a 20-feet stretch of road, which could have been grabbed by local private parties,” Gopala­krishnan said. The total cost of the missing land as on date would be around Rs 9 crore, he surmised.

He had been petitioning the Chennai corporation and the Directorate of Town Planning for the last two months, and irked by their disregard, he has forwarded the complaint to the Chief Minister’s cell, seeking action, he added.

A corporation official said that basic information sought under the RTI had already been dispatched to the petitioner. “If the petitioner has documents that can reveal that the said property has been grabbed or encr­oac­hed upon, we would cer­­tainly take action against private parties who had encroached upon the gove­rnment land,” he said.