No norms flouted in O Panneerselvam's' plot, collector tells Madras High Court

Madurai: After Theni district collector N. Venkatachalam in his report submitted to Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Tuesday, found no violations in granting electricity connections to the land which is in the thick of controversy at Lakshmipuram village, the judges directed former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s wife Vijayalakshmi to file her response.

A division bench comprising Justices K. Sasidharan and G.R. Swaminathan had during the previous hearing issued a direction to the collector to inspect the land after a PIL filed by farmer A. Rengasamy from Lakshmipuram village alleged that electricity connections granted to the land belonging to Vijayalakshmi was given in violation of Tangedco rules. He further claimed that Panneerselvam’s family was transporting water drawn from the well to other fields violating regulations.
However, the collector in his report, stated that the land in which the well was situated was registered in the name of Subburaj.

The well was located in between two branches of streams at a distance from 15 meters. Around the peripheral area of these streams, 53 wells were dug by various land holders for agricultural cultivation and among these, electricity connections were given to 40 wells by the TNEB, he said. He clarified that the land owner had also obtained permission from the PWD and rural development department to lay a pipeline for transportation of water. The court directed Vijayalakshmi to file her response and posted next hearing to August 21.