Puthiya Tamilagam president K. Krishnasamy has moved the Madras High Court Bench here to prohibit drawing of ground water from borewells in Ottapidaram.
Mr. Krishnasamy, who is the MLA of Ottapidaram, said that there was severe water scarcity in the area. Allowing individuals to draw water through borewells would worsen the crisis, he claimed.
On April 4, 2013, the High Court stayed an order of the Revenue Divisional Office (RDO) of Kovilpatti sub-division. Based on the recommendation of Mr. Krishnasamy, the RDO issued orders prohibiting individuals from drawing ground water from borewells.
S. Palsamy, aggrieved by the order, moved the High Court and obtained a stay on the RDO’s order for a period of two weeks. Mr. Krishnasamy sought to vacate the stay and requested permission to implead himself as a respondent in the case filed by Mr. Palsamy.
“A few individuals, including Mr. Palsamy, have dug borewells from 800 feet to 1500 feet to draw water for commercial purposes. Owing to this, the ground water level in Ottapidaram area has been affected,” Mr. Krishnasamy contended. He further stated that the water scarcity had forced the public to buy drinking water at Rs. 7 a pot.
The RDO passed the order banning the drawing of water through borewells only to prohibit commercial sale of water. Therefore, the interim stay of the High Court should be vacated, he pleaded.
The case is likely to be heard by a division bench comprising Justices Chitra Venkataraman and S. Vimala on Monday.
