Court intervenes, but encroachments remain

VELLORE: With repeated attempts to get Gudiyattam municipal officials to remove encroachments, which prevent free pedestrian movement in various areas, failing to yield results, the residents have started approaching courts, it is learnt.

What irked residents is that neither the CM’s office nor the municipal commissioner responded when they wrote to them.

Explaining the ploy traders adopt to encroach, a resident said: The traders first raise an awning over the shop which extrudes into the street and then pile up goods under the awning on pedestrian space. Areas encroached upon include Chunnampet, Chittoorgate, Sandapet, Bosepet, Pichanoor, Buvaneswaripet, Nellorepet, Bodipet, Congress house road, daily market area and the old and new bus stands.

“All streets are vested with Gudiyattam municipality according to Section 162 of the district municipalities Act and they are duty-bound to ensure encroachment free streets,” said K Sathiyamoorthy, a resident.

“I first complained to the CM’s special cell on Dec 19, 2021, but received no response and so I wrote to the Gudiyattam municipality on Feb 18, 2022, with the same result,” Kalandar Basha, a resident told DT Next.

This resulted in his moving the district munsif court on March 7 this year based on which the munsif A Chella Pandian ordered the commissioner’s appearance on April 8. But he failed to turn up. The munsif has now ordered the commissioner to appear in person on June 30.

Meanwhile, Basha who was on his way for medical treatment on February 17 was unable to proceed due to encroachment-induced traffic congestion. He returned home and sent a legal notice to the Commissioner seeking Rs 10,000 as compensation. Again there was no response. Basha then moved the State Human Rights Commission on March 31 with the demand and notices were issued to Commissioner Thirunavukarasu, Municipal Engineer Sycil Thomas and Building Inspector Srinivasan. The matter is still with the State HRC.

Rajaram, a social activist had petitioned the local body to remove encroachments and ensure the removal of stagnant water on February 24 but as it failed to get any effect, he petitioned the sub-divisional magistrate on May 9 under Sec 133 CRPC.

Lawyers K Mohan, Giriprasath and Dhandapani appraised the SDM and an order was issued to the Commissioner on May 13 in which he was ordered to remove encroachments and report the status in person.

Sources revealed the order was passed on to the municipal engineer by the Commissioner. The engineer passed it on to the building inspector and the latter to the local surveyor where it finally rests.

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