Madras HC steps in again to safeguard Chennai's marshland

In yet another directive that would help safeguard the city's vanishing wetlands, the Madras High Court today ordered the registration department to issue orders prohibiting registration of any document involving the Pallikaranai marshlands here.
Justice N Kirubakaran directed the Inspector General of Registration of Chennai Zone to issue orders to all jurisdictional registrars not to register any document related to Pallikaranai marshlands in any form.
He gave the direction on a petition which submitted that marshlands in Pallikaranai, the city's strained freshwater body, were being alienated illegally.
Such fraudulent transfer of property involving the marshland was allegedly being done by unknown persons/land grabbers with the help of some influential officials and persons with muscle and money power, the petitioner alleged.

In the previous hearing of the petition, the judge had suo motu impleaded 20 government officials, including government secretaries for Revenue, Rural Development and, Commercial Taxes and Registration.
When the case came up for hearing today, Justice Kirubakaran directed the IG Registration also to furnish details of documents registered from 1990 in vis-a-vis marshlands within 12 weeks.

He also directed the Joint Registrar, South Chennai, Registration office, not to register any documents relating to Pallikaranai marshlands. The authorities were also further directed to prohibit constructions of any kind in marshlands.
The government was directed to publish advertisements in newspapers informing the public about the prohibition with regard to registration of any documents of marshlands.

The judge also directed the authorities to verify whether pattas have already been changed in respect of marshlands in favour of private parties.
Last year, Justice Kirubakaran had expressed shock at the shrinking of Pallikaranai marshland and directed the Tamil Nadu government to furnish details on encroachment, dumping and burning of garbage and measures for its protection.