Remove unauthorised check dams, Court tells Public Works Dept

The check dams had been put up using sand bags, without permission, on the Ootukalvai water channel

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Public Works Department to remove, as expeditiously as possible, three unauthorised check dams in Vadipatti in Madurai district. The check dams had been put up using sand bags.

A Division Bench of Justices M. Duraiswamy and K. Murali Shankar, however, gave liberty to the private parties to give a fresh representation to PWD officials for putting up check dams solely for irrigation purposes.

The court was hearing the petition filed by R. Anbalagan of Madurai. The petitioner said that three unauthorised check dams were constructed on Ootukalvai water channel, which is the feeding channel of Paralikanmai in Parali village, Madurai. He sought a direction to the PWD authorities to remove the unauthorised check dams and to restore the water channel to its original width. He also sought a direction to the authorities to maintain the water channel free of encroachments to ensure free flow of water.

In a status report, PWD officials said that the three check dams were put up using sand bags by farmers without obtaining permission. They were irrigating their land for the past 50 years. It was submitted that encroachments were found in the channel.