The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State to file a status report in the petition filed by a woman from Tiruchi district who sought a direction to the State government to restrain anyone from carrying out construction or cultivation activities on a waterbody in Muthalaipatti in Karur district.
The court was hearing the petition filed by V. Annalakshmi, the daughter of A. Veeramalai. Last year, Veeramalai and his son Nallathambi were hacked to death by a group of men after they had opposed the encroachments on the waterbody in their village. The High Court Bench had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and passed a slew of directions for the removal of encroachments and police protection to the family.
The petitioner, Annalakshmi, who resides in Tiruchi district, said the removal of encroachments was being opposed by some individuals. The district administration must restrain them from carrying out any construction or cultivation activities.
Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian informed the court that a case was pending before the Supreme Court challenging the removal of a temple structure that was constructed on the waterbody. Other encroachments were removed, he said.
Taking up her plea for hearing, a Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam directed the State to file a status report and adjourned the hearing till August 4.
