Collector hits back, says he went by the book

CHENNAI: Chennai Collector (in charge) K A Annamalai on Tuesday clarified that he had passed orders that the stretch of 4 kany, 18 grounds and 1,683 sq ft of land on Cathedral Road belonged to the Agri-Horticultural Society, based on documents and as per the directive of the Madras High Court.  “As such, it will be inappropriate on the part of former chief minister M Karunanidhi to attribute reasons contrary to truth for my action,” Annamalai said in a statement here.The former Collector of Chennai district had issued notices to the Agri-Horticultural Society on September 29, 2010 and December 8, 2010 asking it to vacate the land in survey No. 64 by December 15, 2010.  The society challenged the notice in court and obtained a stay. Following this, the High Court cancelled the Collector’s notice in its verdict dated March 29, 2011.The High Court also held that the society has the right to submit additional affidavit and documents and directed that the final order be passed based on the documents to be submitted by the society.Annamalai said the honorary secretary of the society, V Krishnamoorthy, appeared before him and submitted a detailed affidavit as well as related documents. The documents were verified with the documents available in the office of the District Collector and were found genuine.The files dated November 23, 1877 in the Chennai Collector’s office as well as the letter of the then Deputy Collector dated November 19, 1877 stated that two extents of land were purchased by the society during 1856 and 1857.  Besides there is evidence to prove that the land was purchased out of the funds generated through commercial activities of the society. Even in the GO dated September 5, 1989, there was no reference to the above land in the custody of the society and in its counter-affidavit filed before the HC, the then government in 2010 had agreed that the land was not taken back by the government. “Only after considering these facts and after getting the Government Pleader’s opinion, I passed orders that the 4 kanis, 18 grounds and 1,683 sq ft land belongs to the society,” the Collector said and added that since he had passed the orders based on documents and as per directives of the Madras HC, it would be inappropriate on the part of the former CM to attribute motives contrary to truth.