The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Public Works Department secretary to furnish details of the number of waterbodies and lakes in existence in the State, steps taken so far to desilt them, quantum of funds allocated, the amount of money spent and the current stage of those projects.
Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad also wanted to know from the Rural Development secretary the details regarding the funds allocated from Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for desilting the waterbodies and lakes and the progress made as on July 26.
The secretaries were ordered to submit the details in court on July 29.
The information was called for, during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition for removal of encroachments from Rajavaikkal in Coimbatore district, to find out how the official machinery was maintaining the waterbodies and lakes across the State.