No regularisation of encroachments on water bodies: TN govt

Tamil Nadu government today informed the Madras High Court that it has forbidden further regularisation of encroachments on water bodies and grant of pattas for it across the state.
An affidavit to this effect was filed a day after the court warned that it will quash the notification extending the time limit for regularisation of encroachments on water bodies, if the government failed to file the counter to a PIL on the matter within three days.
The government in its counter affidavit filed before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, said it would scrupulously follow the orders of Supreme Court and high court in matters pertaining to the encroachment on water bodies in the state.

The counter filed through the Deputy Secretary of Revenue Department, submitted that it had (government) instructed all district collectors, vide a letter dated July 9, 2007 by Commissioner of Land Administration, to restrain further issue of housing patta's in water bodies and poramboke land.
Hence, further regularisation of encroachments in water bodies in the state and grant of pattas were forbidden, it said.
The counter was filed in response to a PIL by Sivakasi Tax Payers Association to quash the notification that was issued on August 26, 2014 extending the time limit up to March 31, 2015 for granting patta to encroachers on water bodies.

Contending that the notification was illegal and in violation of apex and high court judgments, the petitioner sought to quash the notification.
When the matter came up earlier, the bench had given four weeks to the government to file the counter.
But as the government did not file the counter in the next hearing yesterday, the court directed it to file within three days failing which it will quash the notification.