The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to take action against Madurai Corporation as per Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition that had sought a direction to the authorities to restore Kiruthumal river.
A Division Bench of Justices G. R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi directed the TNPCB to take action against Madurai Corporation as per Section 48 of the Act that deals with offences by government departments. Earlier, the State government had told the court that the causes of pollution of Kiruthumal river would be identified and communicated to the local bodies concerned for taking necessary action.
The court hearing the petition filed by advocate R. Manibharathi of Madurai. The petitioner complained that Kiruthumal river, once worshipped, is now neglected and in a deplorable state. The river flows for about a distance of 74 km through Madurai, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram districts. The river in Madurai city has shrunk due to lack of proper maintenance, he said.
The petitioner said the river has been turned into a dump yard, leading to pollution and mosquito menace. He urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to revive the river by removing encroachments, prevent discharge of sewage and dumping of garbage, and ensure that Kiruthumal river receives water through Vaigai river and its adequate channels.
He sought a direction to the authorities to carry out a digital survey of the river by using Differential Global Positioning System to map the river and remove encroachments, prevent discharge of sewage and dumping of garbage into the river, on a war footing, and ensure that adequate water was released from Vaigai river to Kiruthumal river.
He also sought a direction to the authorities to study the river which flows from Madurai district to Ramanathapuram district. The court had earlier directed the State to file a comprehensive report to the petition.
Published – January 22, 2026 09:06 pm IST
