Houses on farm land not acceptable

CHENNAI: Allotting agricultural land without changing its nature tosuit construction of houses is contrary to the provisions of the TN Land Reforms Act and this colourable exercise of power on the part ofthe government is in utter disregard to the principles underlying theenactment of the Act and the same cannot be permitted, the HighCourt has observed.A division bench comprising Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Justice NKirubakaran, which made the observation while allowing a writ appealfrom a woman, also pulled up the government for ‘reserving’ the landacquired as ‘surplus’ from a woman under the Act for the members of the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms Staff Coop Housing Society.Originally, TM Sulochana Ammal filed a writ petition seeking toquash a GO dated  May 31, 1991 taking over her 8.63 acres inMoulivakkam in Sriperumbudur and the consequent notice of theauthorised officer allotting it to the cooperative society forconstruction of houses for its members. But, a single judgedismissed it. Hence, the present writ appeal.