Plea against land acquisition by Horti dept: Orders reserved

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court had reserved its final order in a petition challenging the acquisition of 115 grounds of land worth Rs 1,000 crore near Semmozhi Poonga, Cathedral Road, in the heart of the city. Former AIADMK minister Agri V Krishnamurthy of the Agri Horticulture Society moved the Madras High Court (MHC) challenging the Tamil Nadu government’s acquisition of the land to hand it over to the Tamil Nadu Horticulture department.

The petition was listed before Justice SM Subramaniam for a final hearing on Wednesday.

The petitioner’s counsel said the land was not encroached on by the petitioner whether the petitioner legally established a horticulture society in that land.

Further, he said the acquisition by Tamil Nadu is against the law and demanded to quash the order issued by the MHC to acquire the land.

The additional advocate general J Ravindran appeared on behalf of the state and said that the Supreme Court and MHC have directed to acquire the land, there is no ground for this petition.

Further, he said that the petitioner used the land for his gain illegally.

Senior advocate Wilson appeared before the court as an intervening petitioner and said the land belongs to the State for the welfare of the public the land is acquired by the government.

After all the submissions the Justice reserved the final orders and adjourned the case.

Agri V Krishnamurthy occupied government-owned land near Semmozhi Poonga and the horticulture society. However, the DMK government acquired the land after MHC and a Supreme Court order, to develop a botanical garden.