CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed that an inspection be conducted to ascertain whether soil has been excavated in excess of the permitted quantity from the Mullikolathur Lake in Chengalpattu district, and that a report be submitted.
T Soundarajan, a farmer from Mullikolathur village, filed a writ petition challenging the permission granted by the District Collector to a private firm to excavate earth from Mullikolathur Lake located in the Tirukazhukundram taluk. The excavation was permitted for the purpose of constructing a four-lane road from Mamallapuram to Mugaiyur.
In his petition, Soundarajan contended that the lake serves as a primary source of drinking water and irrigation for the region, and to excavate soil from the lake, the water must necessarily be drained. Such action would amount to the destruction of a waterbody, and the villagers will be put to irreversible loss, he stated.
The District Collector, without considering the said aspects and without verifying the existing depth and structural condition of the waterbody, had granted permission for the quarrying operation, he said in the petition.
Hearing the petition, Justice M Dhandapani directed Anna University, Guindy, to appoint any competent expert in the particular field to inspect the Mullikolathur lake and find out whether ordinary sand was extracted as per the proceedings of the District Collector, Chengalpattu district, and submit a report to the court on or before March 20.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to March 20 for further hearing.