The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has decided not to give power connections to buildings constructed on waterbodies.
To this effect, the power utility has made it mandatory for consumers occupying poromboke/ government lands to get a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from revenue officials to get the power connection.
This was conveyed to the lower level officers through a circular from Tangedco headquarters. The need for producing an NOC from revenue officials was to discourage people from encroaching upon or occupying poromboke lands and waterbodies. In addition to the NOC, the consumers would have pay twice the amount of security deposit, a senior official said.
The circular, quoting the order of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, states that “no electricity connection should henceforth be provided to any building on any land which has been notified as a waterbody and the Collectors of the respective districts shall prepare a list of lands identified as waterbodies”.
The circular also cites the Government Order of the Public Works Department, under the Tamil Nadu Protection of Tanks and Eviction of Encroachment Act, 2007, to state that the revenue authorities shall not give permission/NOC to construct buildings on tanks, river beds and water courses.
Despite these provisions, some revenue officials were giving NOC but when requested by the electricity officials to authenticate the NOC, the revenue officials claim that the NOCs were not issued by them, the Tangedco official said.
C. Rajan, a resident of Ram Nagar South in Madipakkam, said that he has not been able to get an electricity connection for his house, which is on government land, though several houses in his locality have been given electricity connections.