HC takes serious view of encroachment on water bodies

Taking a serious view of encroachment of water bodies, allegedly by politically influential persons in the Manalmelkudi village in Pudukottai district, Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court today directed the District Collector to file a report on a PIL before November 13th.
A Division Bench of Justices Jaichandran and Vaidhyanathan gave the direction on a PIL filed by one Abul Hassan Sadali of Ammapattinam in Pudukottai district.
The Supreme Court had already ordered that encroachment of water bodies should be removed,they said.
The petitioner prayed the court to direct the collector to remove the encroachments.He also prayed to direct the Panchayat president of the village not give building plan approval for the construction of any building,and restrain officials from issuing any patta for the encroached lands.

The petitioner alleged that politically and economically dominant people had encroached various water bodies and had converted them into house sites by filling sand.
He claimed that no action was taken on his representations to officials.Villagers in the area had also sent a representation but no action was taken.A copy of the representation had been sent to the Chief Minister's cell also.