Tangedco to deny connections for even govt buildings on waterbodies

In the wake of strict directions from the Madras High Court against encroachments on water bodies, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) have directed its field officers against providing power supply to encroached structures, including government buildings constructed on the watercourse, poromboke lands In the instructions to the chief engineers of the distribution regions, Tangedco stated that no new service connections should be given to new encroachers and no new connections should be given to the government buildings constructed in future on a water body throughout the state.

“The field officers may be suitably advised and to ensure that the instructions are strictly followed up. If any deviation is noticed at a later date, stringent action has to be taken against the erring officials. The concerned superintending engineer, electricity distribution circle and chief engineers of distribution regions are also held responsible for any deviations if any happened in their circular or regions,” it noted.

The utility directed the chief engineers of the distribution regions to collect the list of water body areas from the concerned departments so as to maintain records or particulars at the circle level to protect the water bodies so that, new electricity service connection would not be given to the illegal occupant without the approval of the concerned department.

Tangedco’s instructions came in the wake of direction given by the Chief Secretary following the Madras High Court order on a petition filed by Arappor Iyakkam regarding eviction of encroachments in Chitlapakkam lake.