‘How many families have basic amenity of housing’

CHENNAI: In a contentious ruling, the Madras high court on Tuesday suggested a ban on purchase of ‘additional’ homes by individuals, saying if ‘housing for all’ is to become a reality, people should be discouraged from purchasing more than one house.“Why not the governments restrict families/individuals from purchasing more than one housing unit/flat/plot till Housing for All is achieved? Why not the government charge 100% more or extra stamp duty to discourage buying more than one house by a family while purchasing second house? Why not the government conditionally allow the families to purchase more than one house provided they pay 100% extra statutory dues like property tax, electricity charges, water and sewerage charges on the second property?” asked a bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose on Tuesday.The court also wanted the authorities to answer as to why it should not prohibit NRIs from purchasing houses in India to bring down the cost of housing.Justifying the proposals, the bench said: “Lakhs and lakhs of people are living on platforms, roads, cement pipes, slums, under the trees and on banks of water bodies without proper shelter and basic amenities and safety. It is true that the central government has presently taken a policy decision to provide housing unit to every family. It should be achieved at the earliest. It could become fruitful when restrictions are put on persons who hold more than one housing units.”Why can the government not consider imposing such restrictions to control escalation of house prices and to provide a house to every family in the country, the bench wondered.Suo motu impleading the Union ministries of finance and housing as party-respondents to the case, the bench directed them to answer a series of queries including about how many families have basic amenity of housing in India as well as in Tamil Nadu , population and housing ratio in the country and in the state, when ‘Housing for All’ mission of the central government would be achieved.Directing the authorities to inform whether the Centre and state have got any special schemes to provide housing for the marginalised and economically weaker sections including SC/ ST communities, the bench has also sought the details of the number of families that possess more than one house.The court passed the order while dismissing an appeal moved by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board challenging a single judge order quashing acquisition of about 369 acres of private land in Thudiyalur & Vellakinar areas of Coimbatore for a housing scheme.