Providing alternative plots would only encourage encroachers: HC

Providing alternative land for those encroaching public space would only encourage more people to follow suit, said the Madras High Court on Friday. The court then directed Public Works Department and Greater Chennai Corporation officials to appear in person to explain their failure in removing encroachments from Ramapuram lake.

The first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the order while hearing a 2019 petition moved by Ramapuram Social Welfare Federation seeking a direction to the State government to remove the encroachment to restore Ramapuram lake to its original condition.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior counsel G Mohana Krishnan submitted that about 90 per cent of the lake has been illegally occupied, reducing the waterbody to merely one-tenth of its original spread.

Recording the submissions, the judges expressed their grief over the way in which the lake was encroached. “Why did the government fail to prevent these encroachments that loomed over the years on the Ramapuram lake? The concerned officials with the Public Works Department and the Greater Chennai Corporation, who allowed 90 per cent of encroachment on Ramapuram lake, should appear during the next hearing so as to explain their failure in removing encroachments,” the bench said.

The standing counsel appearing for the GCC submitted that it has identified 300 families occupying the lake and has recommended the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board to allot alternate housing facilities to these families.

However, Justice Bhandari said providing alternative land to the illegal occupants would encourage the encroachments. “As the removal of encroachment is being carried out merely for eyewash, the same leads to the drought and flood,” the bench said, directing the government to file an action-taken report on removal of encroachments from Ramapuram lake within two weeks.

The matter was then adjourned by two weeks.