The Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC) has directed the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to pay a fine of Rs 79.08 lakhs to the students of Chettinad Vidyashram, a Chennai private school, for denying information to parents about the construction of a high-rise hotel in the school campus. The authority had also failed to put up a board, as mandated by the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, describing the building details. When the construction began, parents had been unclear whether a new construction that was coming up on campus was a school or commercial building. Following this, they filed an RTI application demanding to know what kind of building was coming up, fearing that the space allotted for the school was not being used for educational purposes. But the CMDA refused to disclose the requested details.
Chettinad Vidyashram is situated in Chettinad House, a heritage building. Earlier, in May this year, parents had been denied information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, when they raised concerns over the 14-storey building being constructed within the school premises. Then, the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC) had to step in on behalf of the parents.
On April 28, in an order, the TNSIC had asked the school management to provide all details regarding the new building as parents were concerned about noise and dust pollution, as well as the possibility, of a bar being built as it was in proximity to a school.
At the time, the TNSIC had also asked the CMDA member secretary why it should not impose a fine of Rs 1,000 each on the behalf of each of the 7908 students, which adds up to Rs. 79.08 lakhs. The commission has now passed the order, and imposed the said fine for the development authority’s lapses.