History of the Layout and Birth of the Association
A community of plots named “Green Peace Cottage Gardens “ layout was promoted by an erstwhile Promoter in Siruthavoor Village on OMR during the first half of 1990s and hundreds of plots were sold to public on outright basis duly authenticated by valid Sale Deeds executed and registered with the Sub-Registrar Office, Thiruporur.
However, the Promoter did not apply to the concerned authority in the TN Government for approval of the layout and thus the layout remained as an unauthorized /unapproved layout. Moreover, the Promoter abruptly ceased carrying out upkeep and maintenance of the layout as from early 2001 on-wards without forming an association of plot owners and formal handover of the layout to the association as per the customary practice/ requirement.
Highly concerned and disturbed with the poor and fast depleting and worsening conditions at the Site, a group of Plot Owners in ‘Greenpeace Cottage Gardens’ took the initiative to form an Association- Green Peace Plot Owners Welfare Association on 22nd January, 2012, and registered the same as a Society under TN Societies Registration Act,1975 in May,2012, so that with the joint efforts of all the plot owners, their property could be protected from encroachment and theft and also to give a face lift to the Site not only for enhancing the market value but also to make beneficial use of their property which has been lying idle for over a decade. But unfortunately, the erstwhile Promoters for reasons best known to them they extended little support. In the absence of the contact details the Association with its skeleton membership strength initially, advertised in the local area Weeklies and also by creating a website announcing the formation of the Association and inviting the plot owners in Green Peace Layout to enroll as members, by first half of 2017, the membership strength swelled to over 180 , and as of date to over 250, and continuing.
Consequent to Madras High Court ruling in September 2016 imposing a total ban on all unapproved and unauthorized plots/layouts in Tamil Nadu, the plot owners were restrained to sell/transfer the plots in such layouts or, take up any development activity.
Pursuant to the above High court Order, TN Govt announced an amnesty Scheme by way of Gazette Order – G O (ms) No.78 dated 04.05.2017 relating to TN Regularization of Unapproved Layouts and Plots Rules 2017 followed by amendment notification vide G O No.(ms) 172 dated 13.10.2017 extending certain specific exemptions/remissions to the plot owners who were adversely affected for no fault from their side.
Regularization of plots by DTPC (Directorate of town and country Planning)
Accordingly, the Association made arrangement to get the plots of members regularized by the Government during 2018-19 onwards which was a tedious process, by coordinating and communicating with hundreds of members who are residents in India and NRI members after payment of the prescribed fees/ charges by way of Regularization fees and Development Levy.
Brief objectives of the Association and present strength
Given the vast area of the layout, over 200 acres, most part of the layout declared as Residential plots by the TN Revenue Department, it is not feasible for the members to provide for the basic infrastructural requirements and to maintain the facilities at their own cost, in the layout ; it is imperative that the TN Government should assist the Association by funding for the infrastructure facilities as envisaged in the G O No.78 & 172 referred above.
The objectives for which the association is formed are very clearly described in its Memorandum of Association and the procedural and management aspects for smooth running of the Association are dealt with in its Bye Laws. In short, the association’s main objectives are, to give a face lift to the Site and to provide for security and regular maintenance of the infrastructural facilities and amenities which are in bad shape as detailed above, jointly by the plot owners as a self help move with cooperative efforts of all concerned.
The association since its inception has so far enrolled 250+ members with sizeable number of NRIs and, as of date more than a dozen plot owners from far and wide, are in contact with the Association for enrolling as members.