Asked to vacate 28 buildings by Oct. 3

The Thanjavur Thasildar has served a notice on Shanmuga Arts Science Technology and Research Academy (Sastra university) at Tirumalaisamudram in Thanjavur district asking it to vacate 28 buildings that had been constructed on land belonging to the Tamil Nadu Prison Department by October 3. Eviction proceedings will be initiated if the university fails to do so by the stipulated date, the notice has warned.

The notice follows a decision of the Thanjavur Collector, who, following a direction of the Madras High Court, convened a high-level meeting on September 22 and passed orders instructing the Revenue Divisional Officer and the Tahsildhar to remove the encroachments immediately. The prison authorities are considering the possibility of utilising the buildings for the ‘open air jail’ proposed on a stretch of 58.17 acres.

The Deputy-Inspector General of Prisons, Tiruchi, was told to raise a fence and protect the land by providing round-the-clock security.