The district administration on Thursday night demolished unauthorised brick kilns on the Coleroon river bed and confiscated the machinery and materials used by the units.
Collector T. Abraham who supervised the demolition process on the spot instructed officials to remove the borewells dug by the brick kiln units for their activities.
Three teams
The operation was carried out by three special teams led by the Revenue Divisional Officer of Udayarpalayam Rathinam; Jayankondam Tahsildar Govindaraj; and Block Development Officers of T. Pazhur Gopu and Velankanni.
The earth excavation that had been carried out on the river bed by brick kiln units for directing water streams had the potential to cause breaches when the river is in full flow into villages dotting the embankments.
The district administration will take severe action against those causing damage to the embankments, the Collector warned.