Preservation of water is of paramount importance to cater to the needs of the public, observed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court while directing authorities to remove encroachments from a waterbody in Ramanathapuram district and take steps to protect the waterbody.
The court was hearing the petition filed by Rajagopal of Ramanathapuram district who sought a direction to authorities to restore the waterbody situated in Kanjirangudi Panchayat Union at Keelakarai Taluk in Ramanathapuram district.
A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and G. Arul Murugan observed that it was not in dispute that encroachments were identified in the waterbody. Courts have time and again reiterated that encroachment in waterbodies cannot be permitted. All the encroachments ought to be removed for preserving water, the court observed, adding there cannot be any leniency in the matter of eviction of encroaches from waterbodies.
However, while considering the issue, it was brought to the notice of the court that some of the encroachers were landless poor people and were staying there for a long time. Taking into account that their livelihood also is to be protected, the court directed the authorities to identify an alternative government poramboke land wherein the people can be allotted free house site patta.
The State submitted that an alternative land was identified. After issuing free house site patta to the eligible landless poor people, encroachments will be removed from the waterbody and the waterbody will be protected and preserved.
The court directed the authorities to consider the request of these people and find out their eligibility to avail free house site patta under the government scheme and issue patta. Thereafter, all the encroachments from the waterbody should be removed and the waterbody should be protected for preservation of water. The court directed the entire exercise to be completed in six months.
Published – September 04, 2025 11:12 pm IST
