Government urged to retrieve encroached land, lay 80-feet road in Erode

ERODE Members of Sri Periya Mariamman Kovil Land Retrieval Movement have urged the State government

Members of Sri Periya Mariamman Kovil Land Retrieval Movement have urged the State government to retrieve 12.66 acres of encroached land and lay an 80-feet road at the earliest.

The movement’s meeting was held recently in which various resolutions were passed. A resolution said the Madras High Court had, in its order on December 2, 2022, declared that the land at Panneerselvam Park in the city belonged to the State government. Also, the order said there was no embargo to proceed with the formation of 80-feet road. “The State government should not delay further in taking over the land and laying the road,” the resolution urged.

Another resolution thanked 108 members who proposed to contest in the bypoll to Erode (East) Assembly constituency to urge the government to lay the road. Since major political parties agreed to fulfil the demand, the plan was withdrawn, the resolution said.

A resolution urged the district administration to take steps so that 1,008 devotees would gather at the government land on April 6 and make pongal.

The land that was under legal dispute is located near Periya Mariamman Temple and is in possession of the Church of South India Trust Association, Coimbatore Diocese.

On the petitions filed by the Church of South India Trust Association and C.S.I. Coimbatore Diocese, the court pronounced that the purchase made by London Missionary was only with regard to the building and not the land. Hence, neither London Missionary nor the two petitioners had absolute right and title over the 12.66 acres.

The proposed road will link Meenatchi Sundaranar Road and Chennimalai Road that will ease traffic congestion on Gandhiji Road and E.V.N. Road.