The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Public Works Department in Tiruchi to consider a representation made by a petitioner to remove the encroachment on a waterbody in Srirangam in Tiruchi district
The court was hearing the petition filed by Andrews Gnanaraj who sought a direction to the authorities to remove the encroachment made on the waterbody. He complained that due to the encroachment, drainage water was flowing into the waterbody. The petitioner said that this caused severe health hazards and hardship to the residents living nearby. It was submitted that a complaint in this regard was made to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell and the Tiruchi Collector acknowledged the existence of encroachment on the waterbody.
A Division Bench of Justices S.S. Sundar and S. Srimathy observed that if there were encroachment on the waterbody, it is the duty of the Public Works Department to take action against the encroachers under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Protection of Tanks and Eviction of Encroachment Act, 2007.
The court directed the PWD to consider the representation made by the petitioner and pass appropriate orders under the provisions of the Act. Every encroacher shall be put on notice before conducting survey and demarcating the waterbody, the court said and directed the entire exercise to be completed in 16 weeks. The petition was disposed of.
