In a stinging observation, the Madras High Court on Friday said that the loss due to the recent floods at various places in the State was because of the maladministration in preserving water bodies, waterways and canals. The First Bench made the observation while dismissing a PIL petition filed by Shanmugam, North Chennai secretary of CPI, for a direction to issue pattas to the families who had encroached upon dried up or unused lakes and water bodies at Kolathur in Chennai and its neighbourhood, for decades.
Responding strongly to this plea, the court said authorities in power cannot destroy the water bodies or water courses, which had formed naturally, for the benefit of mankind forever. Besides, it is beyond the power of the State to alienate or re-classify them for some other purposes. “Lakes and water bodies are gifts of the nature. There is no possibility of getting further gifts of such nature,” the Bench said.
The judges added that the loss was due to the practice of the authorities allowing water bodies and water courses to be encroached upon. The authorities have permitted construction of houses in the water bodies resulting in inundation and submerging of houses.
