Monitoring squads formed at various levels to check illegal occupation of lands/water-bodies
Posted on: 12/Feb/2022 2:37:11 PM
The State Government of Tamil Nadu has ordered the setting up of squads to monitor the illegal occupation of Government Lands including water bodies and remove them.
In a notification released in this regard by the Department of Revenue, it is mentioned:
�Squads have been formed intermittently so far as per the Court Orders as well as the removal of illegal occupation of Government-owned lands including water-bodies.�
Especially, in the period 1997-98, district-wise squads were formed for guiding under the leadership of the district collector. Later, as per the High Court order in 2002, a High-Level Committee was formed under the leadership of the Minister for Revenues. Subsequently, as per the High Court Order, 3 kinds of grievances Addressing Squads were formed.
Later, in the year 2016, a special team was formed comprising of the high-level officials of the Public Works Department of Water Administration. Subsequently, in the year 2019, as per the recommendation of the High Court, an order was released by the Tamil Nadu State Government to all the Districts, Security Squads were formed at the local level comprising of Assistant Engineers, Village Administration Officers and local volunteers.
In this status, new squads are now being formed to prevent the illegal occupation of government-owned lands including water-bodies while dismissing all the previous formed squads in this regard.
Squads are formed at the Local Circle Level (Kottam) under the Tahsildar (Kottaatchiyar). In this squad, the local Police Superintendent, local city administration Commissioners, all Taluk Officers, the Divisional Officer of the Water Resources Department, Assistant Divisional Engineer of the Highways, Rural Development Zonal Officer, Survey Division`s Supervisor, and other officers recommended by the Head.
The squad at the Circle Level (Kottam) will undertake the tasks of monitoring the illegal occupation of lands both in the areas where there have been objections or no objections, taking action against the illegal occupation noted, etc. This squad will meet once a month
The District-level squad will function under the District Collector. In this squad, the District Police Superintendent, if it is a city administration, the Police Commissioner, Corporation Commissioner, Water Resources Department Executive Engineer, Highways Divisional Engineer, Joint Director of the Internal Development Department, Deputy Director of the Local administration Department, Assistant Director of the Surveying Department, and all revenue Officers will be members.
A special State-Level squad will be set up under the Chief Secretary of the State Government of Tamil Nadu. In this squad, the Secrcretaries of various Departments, including Revenue, City Administration, Water Resources, Highways, Local Development, Director of the Internal (Home) Department, Housing Development Department, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Director of City Administration, Chief Engineer of Water Resources, Managing Director of the Highways Department, Managing Director of the Urban Development Department, Director of the Survey Department will all be members.
The Commissioner of the Land Administration Department will be the Coordinator of this squad. This squad will undertake the issues related to illegal occupation, and the related monitoring activities.
