Official guidance, Tamil Nadu land law
Letter on RTI requests for pre-UDR and UDR FMB sketches
A letter dated 12 August 2014 from M. A. Siddique, I.A.S., Commissioner of Archives and Historical Research, Tamil Nadu Archives and Historical Research, asks district collectors and the Director of Survey and Settlements to ensure that RTI requests for pre-UDR and UDR Field Measurement Book sketches are handled first by district collectorates, not routinely sent to the Archives. The letter says Tamil Nadu Archives keeps these old records for preservation, and they should be used only as a last resort when the collectorate cannot trace its own copy after a genuine search.
What this document is
The document is a letter dated 12 August 2014 from M. A. Siddique, I.A.S., Commissioner of Archives and Historical Research, Tamil Nadu Archives and Historical Research. It gives guidance on how Public Information Officers should handle Right to Information applications asking for copies of Field Measurement Book sketches relating to pre-UDR and UDR re-surveys.
What it governs
The letter deals with access to old survey records, especially pre-UDR Field Measurement Book sketches.
It explains that:
- after the re-survey under the updating registry scheme in the 1980s, pre-UDR records that were earlier held by taluk offices were transferred to district collectorates
- district collectorates have one copy of pre-UDR records
- taluk offices also have these records
- Tamil Nadu Archives keeps one copy of pre-UDR re-survey Field Measurement Books, but not the A Register
Main direction to officials
The guidance says RTI applications seeking copies of Field Measurement Book sketches should normally be disposed of at the district collectorate level.
Key points are:
- copies in district collectorates are meant for regular use
- Tamil Nadu Archives is meant to preserve these records for posterity and for eternity
- old Field Measurement Books in the Archives are more than 70 years old, and repeated access causes damage
- Tamil Nadu Archives will refer such applications to the Public Information Officers of the concerned district collectorates under Section 6(3)(i) and (ii) of the RTI Act
When Archives can be approached
The letter allows transfer to Tamil Nadu Archives only in limited cases.
That can happen when:
- the Field Measurement Book sketch is not available in the collectorate
- the reason is damage, wear and tear, loss, or similar non-traceability
- the Public Information Officer mentions specific reasons for not being able to retrieve the sketch
- a genuine attempt has first been made to search the collectorate record room
When such a reference is properly made, Tamil Nadu Archives says it will furnish copies under the RTI Act.
Why this matters to land owners and buyers
If you need an old Field Measurement Book sketch through RTI, this letter indicates that the first place expected to handle the request is the district collectorate, not Tamil Nadu Archives. It also suggests that a reply saying the record is unavailable should come only after an actual search of the collectorate records.
Warning to Public Information Officers
The letter says some Public Information Officers were routinely replying that sketches were not available in the collectorate without even searching the record room. It warns that if such unsupported references are sent to the Archives, the Archives may treat the matter seriously and send a team to check whether the record was actually unavailable and whether a sincere search was made.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
If I want a copy of an old pre-UDR FMB sketch, should I expect Tamil Nadu Archives to give it directly?
Not usually. The letter says copies should normally be provided by the concerned district collectorate, and Tamil Nadu Archives should be used only as a last resort.
Why does the letter say Archives should not be used first for FMB copies?
The letter says Tamil Nadu Archives preserves these records for posterity and for eternity. It also says the FMBs are more than 70 years old and repeated access causes damage.
When can a district collectorate send an RTI application to Tamil Nadu Archives?
A district collectorate may forward the application when the FMB sketch cannot be retrieved there, for reasons such as damage, wear and tear, or loss. The Public Information Officer must mention specific reasons and should do so only after a genuine search of the record room.
Does this letter say collectorates hold copies of pre-UDR survey records?
Yes. The letter states that after the updating registry re-survey, pre-UDR records were transferred to district collectorates, and that district collectorates have one copy of the pre-UDR records.
