Madras HC summons Chief Secy over encroachments

CHENNAI: Flaying government authorities for their failure to protect waterbodies and remove encroachments across the State, the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary V Iraianbu to appear before it during the next hearing of petitions related to the issue.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu passed orders summoning the top bureaucrat after it found that a status report provided by the government lacked required information.

The bench said even though three years had passed since the direction was given, a very sensitive issue that required to be addressed at the threshold is lying in the court in absence of the required information. “The aforesaid cannot be permitted and finding default in complying with the direction, we direct the Chief Secretary of the State to be present in the court...,” the ACJ directed.

The court said inaction of the officers concerned may result in an appropriate order, which may be an order for ‘disciplinary inquiry’ against all defaulting officers. The ACJ told Advocate General R Shanmugasundaram that the concerned government officers should be warned and the court would not be liberal, and “would not allow anything happen hanky-panky”. He noted that encroachments of waterbodies are leading to floods as well as water scarcity in the State, thereby draining government’s money.

“Take it very seriously. That is our request. We have one intention, the State of Tamil Nadu should not suffer next year the situation we are having this year,” Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari said. Flaying the officials for ‘lethargy’ in protecting the waterbodies, he warned of freezing the salaries of the defaulting officers. Quoting the government’s submissions, he noted that out of 57,688 encroachments only 8,797 were removed.

The status report filed by the Chief Secretary informed that the guidelines value of government poromboke land has been turned to zero and the Inspector General of Registration was instructed not to allow registration of land located on waterbodies and courses.