Section 237 in Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920
237. Buildings unfit for human habitation.
(1)If any building or portion thereof intended for or used as a dwelling-place appears to the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Madras District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] to be unfit for human habitation, he may apply to the council to prohibit further use of such structure for such purpose; and the council may, after giving the owner and occupiers of the structure a reasonable opportunity of showing cause why such order should not be made, make a prohibitory order as aforesaid.(2)When any such prohibitory order has been made, the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Madras District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] shall communicate the purport thereof to the owner and occupiers of the structure and on expiry of such period as is specified in the notice, not being less than thirty days after the service of the notice, no owner or occupier of such structure shall use or suffer it to be used for human habitation until the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Madras District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] certifies in writing that the causes rendering it unfit for human habitation have been removed to his satisfaction, or the council withdraws the prohibition.(3)When such prohibitory order has remained in operation for three months, the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Madras District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] shall report the case to the council, which shall thereupon consider whether the structure should not be demolished. The council shall give the owner not less than thirty days' notice of the time and place at which the question will be considered and the owner shall be entitled to be heard when the question is taken into consideration.(4)If upon such consideration, the council is of opinion that the structure has not been rendered fit for human habitation and that steps are not being taken with due diligence to render it so fit and that the continuance of the structure is a nuisance or dangerous or injurious to the health of the public or to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, it shall record a decision to that effect, with the grounds of the decision, and the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] shall, in pursuance of the said decision by notice, require the owner to demolish the structure.(5)If the owner undertakes to execute forthwith the works necessary to render the structure fit for human habitation and the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] considers that it can be so made fit, the [executive authority] [These words were substituted for the word 'chairman' by section 17(1) of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 1933 (Madras Act XV of 1933).] may postpone the execution of the decision of the council for such time not exceeding six months as he thinks sufficient for the purpose of giving the owner an opportunity of executing the necessary works.
