PIL seeks CBI probe into illegal constructions

Two days after the collapse of a scaffolding that left two workers dead here, a public interest litigation was today filed in the Madras High Court, alleging rampant illegal constructions in the locality and seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.

Social activist Traffic Ramaswamy, in his PIL petition, referred to the collapse of the scaffolding at an under-construction building near Perungudi in the city on Saturday, that left around 32 labourers injured. Two of them succumbed to their injuries.

Earlier, Ramaswamy made an urgent mention about the matter before a bench, comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and Krishnan Ramasamy, which said it would hear it tomorrow if he filed a petition.

Shortly thereafter, he filed the petition, claiming that most of the buildings in the area, along the city's information technology corridor, were unapproved and such illegal constructions continued due to alleged nexus between officials and local politicians.

The petitioner further alleged several buildings in the area were constructed on government unassessed lands.

Naming former MLA K P Kandan as among those who allegedly owned most of the unassessed lands and made millions, he sought a CBI probe into the matter.

Also, he sought an Income Tax Department investigation into wealth allegedly amassed by the former MLA and his dependents.

He said the width of the road in the area, where the scaffolding collapsed, was just 20 feet and sought to know how authorities permitted construction of multi-storeyed buildings.