The Madras High Court today directed a former MLA S.K. Mahendran to file all the details of court orders and other materials relating to the land of B&C Mills.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh gave the order on Mahendran's PIL seeking a direction to quash an order passed by District Revenue officer,Chennai.
The controversy relates to B & C Mills, Perambur. The then British Government assigned large areas of land to B&C Mills. Later the Mills got amalgamated into Binny Ltd to provide more employment to people.
He further submitted that Binny Limited was not keen in running the Mills. They closed the Mills in 1996 and found that converting the land into real estate would be a more profitable proposition for the promoters, it was alleged.
According to the petitioner, the land in question was given by then government to the Binny Limited at a low price with two conditions attached, apparently with the fond hope that the quarters for workers will help the company to provide defence cloth to meet the wartime needs of government.
"But unfortunately they have closed the Mills and are selling the workers quarters to land sharks and indulging in profiteering.They have grossly violated the two conditions.The sale becomes null and void" and government had every right to re-enter forthwith and take possession of the land without paying any compensation.
On the complaint of workers, the petitioner said a representation was made out to the Collector on April 10 last year after getting a copy of the sale deed.
Under the sale deed dated April 29, 1930, it was clearly mentioned that if the purchaser, namely B & C Mills, did not pay the ground rent on or before July 15 every year, the sale would become null and void and government would be entitled to re-enter and take possession of property without any compensation or notice.
