Remove encroachments, maintain waterbody: HC

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed Theni district administration to remove encroachments and restore and maintain properly Santhaneri tank in Andipatti taluk in Theni district.

The court was hearing a petition filed by E.K.P. Manoharan, who sought a direction to the authorities to restore the tank situated at Moolakadai village in K. Mayiladumparai panchayat union.

He complained that due to the inaction of the authorities, encroachments on the tank had reduced its total extent. The authorities failed to protect and maintain it, he said.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice G. Chandrasekharan directed the authorities to restore Santhaneri tank to its original extent. If any encroachment existed, it should be removed following due process of law, the court said.

Action should be initiated against the encroachers within two months and it should not be delayed beyond a period of four months from the date of serving of initial notice on them, the court said.

The compliance of the order should be made at the first instance to remove the encroachments other than the trees existing in the waterbody, the court said.