'No approval to layouts, house sites if land is water body'

The Madras High Court bench today directed revenue and local body officials not to give layout approval and house sites if the land in question is a water body.
Justices V Ramasubramanian and V M Velumani gave the direction while disposing of a public interest litigation by PIL activist R Lakshmanan seeking to direct PWD to identify major water bodies across the state and take efforts to revive them.
The Judges said a No Objection Certificate should be obtained from the Revenue Department before approving layouts or giving house site patta to the effect that the land was not a water body. If officials give approval disregarding the court direction, then they would be held responsible.

Even if revenue officials give NOC for a water body, they would be held responsible in case of dispute, the court said.
The Judges also directed the government to send a circular to the revenue, PWD, departments, local bodies and officials concerned, giving all the directions of the High Court.
Earlier the bench also directed PWD to file a report as to how the department would restore water bodies across the state. The report was also submitted.

The bench also directed the court registry to list the case on every first working day of a month to monitor the issue closely.

The petitioner sought restoration of water bodies occupied by government and private parties all over the state. These include Veeranam lake in Cuddalore, Maduranthakam lake near Chengalpattu, Vandiyur kanmai in Madurai.
To get government's opinion on the petition, the court had sought personal appearances of PWD officials.
Accordingly, PWD engineer-in-chief S Asokan, Periyar-Vaigai Superintendent Engineer C Rajesh and PWD executive engineer S A Xavier appeared before the division bench of Justices R Sudhakar and V M Velumanl and explained the department's task in restoring water bodies.
Asokan said 13,699 tanks are under the control of PWD, of which 5,000 have been restored.

Earlier, the bench appreciated the officers' presence and suggested they identify major water bodies, deepen them and strengthening the bunds.
The petitioner said authorities have to take steps to store rain water and preserve waterflow in small rivers, which are necessary to improve groundwater level.