Look into charges of encroachment by cement compay: HC

The Madras High Court has ruled that a private cement factory at a village in Thiruvallur district was not entitled to carry out any construction across an irrigation canal lying adjacent to it, and also directed the government to look into the issue.
The court gave the direction yesterday on a PIL by Athipattu Village General Welfare Association, which sought a direction to remove blockage or construction on the irrigation canal close to Zuari Cements Limited factory in the village.
The court said, "This would be a matter for the authorities concerned to look into. It is suffice for us to say that there should be no blockage of water flowing through the culvert nor any construction on the canal, so that as and when water flows, the culvert facilitates it beyond the walls of the cement factory."

The petitioners alleged that the factory had encroached on the government land, including the irrigation canal, leading to inundation in the village.
The petitioners said several representations were made to the authorities, but to no avail.