Nilgiris green body urges RERA action against 14 unapproved layouts
CEAN has asked TNRERA to penalise builders of 14 unapproved layouts in the Nilgiris and ensure buyer refunds.
The Confederation of Environment Associations of Nilgiris (CEAN) has formally requested the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) to intervene against 14 illegal layouts identified across Coonoor, Kotagiri, and Udhagamandalam.
Information obtained by CEAN through a Right to Information (RTI) application shows that a committee led by the Coonoor Sub-Collector, along with officials from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning and the Kotagiri Block Development Office, had detected these unapproved projects in Kotagiri taluk.
The layouts are located in Naduhatty, Kodanad, Doddabetta, Adhigaratty, Jackanarai, Kagguchi, Mulligoor, and Burliyar.
Surjit K. Chaudhary, retired IAS officer and CEAN chairperson, pointed out that the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, prohibits promoters from advertising projects without prior registration with the RERA. Violations can attract penalties of up to 10 percent of the project cost, and continued non-compliance may lead to imprisonment and further fines.
Mr. Chaudhary said the entire Nilgiris district is a notified planning area, yet developers have been promoting and selling plots through social media and agents, misleading the public. He added that such actions violate both the RERA framework and other applicable regulations.
CEAN has urged TNRERA to impose the maximum penalty on the builders concerned and to direct them to refund money collected from buyers.