Madras HC directs TN to set up panel for protecting water bodies

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute a committee for protecting water bodies across the state and removing encroachments around them.

A division bench comprising justices M Sathyanarayanan and Pugalendi said the committee should be chaired by the chief secretary and PWD secretary. MPs, MLAs and PWD officials should be the members of the panel.

The judges said the committee should discuss measures for protecting water bodies and submit a report.

The bench also appointed advocate Veerakathiravan as amicus curiae to assist the court in a PIL which sought removal of encroachments around water bodies.

An advocate from Melur had filed the plea stating that sufficient water could not be stored in various water bodies as they had been encroached.

He sought a direction from the court to remove all encroachments around water bodies, desilt them and restore them to their original size and depth so that water could be stored round the year during the rainy season.

The water table also had dropped due to encroachments, the petitioner submitted.