Chennai flood woes: Corp warned of suo motu case

CHENNAI: Taking note of the miseries of Chennai city residents, who are suffering from waterlogging in recent days, the Madras High Court warned the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) of initiating a suo motu case in the matter. Many areas got inundated following heavy spells of monsoon showers. 

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Benerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu said on Tuesday, “We hope the situation improves, otherwise will take it up suo motu.” The Bench flayed the civic body for its failure to put in place effective flood control measures saying for half of the year the people are crying for water and another half they are made to die in water.

The observations were made on a petition (it was dismissed) regarding the construction of a park at Reddikuppam in the city eating into road space. The Bench grilled the GCC counsel on the initiatives taken by the civic body since the 2015 deluge to save the city from the perennial flood woes.

While hearing another PIL on encroachment of a lake in Ariyalur district, the judges said the officials should learn a lesson from the current rains and resultant floods in Chennai and take action against encroachment of waterbodies. “It may not be out of context to record that the ongoing rains and floods in the State should be a lesson for the officials to act against any person attempting to encroach any waterbody or the path meant for water to flow during rainy season,” they said.

The judges directed the petitioner to submit a fresh complaint to Ariyalur tahsildar, who was directed to inquire immediately and report to his superiors. In case of encroachment, swift action in accordance with law should be taken to free the waterbody, the judges added.