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R. Y. Narayanan

TRASH FLOWS: While uncleared garbage spills out of the dump and on to the street in a more modest residential area in Coimbatore, a posh locality sports a board announcing a `litter-free zone.'

COIMBATORE, March 18

A VISIT to Coimbatore gives the impression of a well-planned city with tree-lined, well-lit roads and spacious bungalows that testify to its economic prosperity. One comes across road signs that announce litter-free zones further giving rise to the impression that the inhabitants of the textile city are an environmentally conscious lot.

However, to residents of this city, this is mere window dressing. Behind the facade lie nearly 450-500 residential layouts that have been denied basic civic amenities such as street lights, potable water and drainage facilities for years. The reason being that they are unapproved.

With 25,000-30,000 houses and home to a large section of the middle-class and labour population, these layouts are spread across the city — from Singanallur to Kavundampalayam and from Peelamedu to Selvapuram. And, the Coimbatore Corporation, apart from collecting property tax from the commercial and residential buildings in these areas, also levies a surcharge of up to 30 per cent of the basic property tax. Still, where provision of basic amenities is considered, it says its hands are bound by regulations.

The unapproved layouts sprang up on account of a host of factors. Land being costly within city limits, people began to look to the peripheral areas. Also, some of the premier housing finance companies granted loans for construction on unapproved layouts. Besides, the TNEB also provided power connections. But all this changed when the DMK Government clamped a ban on registration of sites on unapproved layouts in September 2000.

The Government later amended certain norms for regularising layouts. The rules stipulated that where at least 50 per cent of the plots in such layouts were sold or buildings constructed before September 22, 2000, when the ban order came into force, they could be regularised.

Speaking to Business Line, President of the `Kovai Angeegarikkapadatha Manaipirivu Nalasangangalin Thalamai Sangam ' (Apex Association of the Coimbatore Unapproved Layouts Welfare Associations), Mr V. Vasudevan, and the Secretary, Mr R. Karunanidhi, said though the residents of these layouts had been paying house tax, the civic body had not provided them with the basic amenities.

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