Chennai, 25 December (H.S.) : The Madras High Court has issued a significant directive to the Revenue Department, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, and the Greater Chennai Corporation to clear all encroachments from the Vannan Kulam in Kolathur.
The order came during a hearing of a petition filed by G Devarajan, a resident of Sembium, who alleged that between two hundred fifty and three hundred fifty acres of the water body at GKM Colony had been illegally occupied. The petitioner sought the court's intervention to restore the pond to its original state by removing the unauthorized structures that have come up over the years.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan reviewed the case and took note of a report submitted by the Ambattur Zonal Revenue Divisional Officer. The report confirmed that a substantial portion of the Vannan Kulam had indeed been fully encroached upon.
Expressing concern over the state of the water body, the judges directed the relevant authorities to initiate the removal process on a war footing. The court emphasized the importance of reclaiming the land to preserve the local environment and ensure proper water management in the Kolathur area.
To ensure the effective execution of the order, the court instructed the Commissioner of Land Administration to form a special committee. This committee will include senior officials from the Revenue Department, the urban development board, and the city corporation to monitor the progress of the eviction drive.
The authorities have been urged to hasten their actions to prevent further degradation of the site. Following these directions, the judges disposed of the case, placing the responsibility on the newly formed committee to oversee the complete restoration of the historical water body.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary
