Rains, floods a lesson for govt officials: HC

Chennai: The prevailing rains and floods in Tamil Nadu is a lesson for government officials vis-a-vis encroachment, the Madras High Court observed on Tuesday.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu made the observation while disposing of a writ petition from one T Tamilarasan, praying for a direction to the Ariyalur district administration to remove the encroachments made by an individual on an extent of 1.03 hectare, which had been classified as Mamanakka Lake (water body) in a village there by considering his representation dated October 12 this year and consequently direct them to restore the lake to its original position at the cost of the encroacher.

“It may not be out of context to record that the on-going rains and the floods in and around Chennai and elsewhere in the state should be a lesson for the government officials to take immediate action against any person attempting to encroach into any waterbody or the path meant for flowing water during the rainy season,” the bench said.

It permitted the petitioner to carry a fresh, detailed representation pertaining to the matters complained to the local Tahsildar within four weeks.

Immediately upon receipt of the same, the Tahsildar shall conduct an inquiry. In the event the Tahsildar finds any encroachment in the waterbody, he shall immediately report the matter to his superior officials for expeditious action to be taken to remove the encroachment in accordance with law. At any rate, the final report of the Tahsildar following the inquiry shall be forwarded to the petitioner and any other person affected thereby within ten weeks thereafter, the bench said.