Remove all five encroachments on river bed in Pennagaram, says bench

Disposing a plea moved by a farmer accusing another person of encroachment and preventing him from entering his property, a division bench comprising Justice M Venugopal and Justice S Vaidyanathan said, “The Supreme Court as well as this court, in a catena of decisions, have stressed that no encroachment should be tolerated over the water bodies which constitute part of the precious natural resources and it needs to be protected in the interest of public.”

“If the water bodies and water courses can be encroached upon, it would result in reduction in the flood storing and carrying capacity, forcing the water to deviate from its regular course and enter the residential areas causing devastating effects, more particularly, the flood, which was experienced in December 2015,” the bench said. 

The bench on recording the submission of the district administration that Survey numbers 178 and 185 had been encroached not only by one G Vijaya, who has been roped in as a respondent but also the petitioner farmer and three others, directed the Dharmapuri district collector, Executive Engineer of Public Works Department, the District Revenue Officer and Thasildar, Pennagaram, to remove the encroachment in question on the river bed within a period of 30 days from the receipt of a copy of this order. 

It is needless to mention that the authorities shall take the assistance of police, if necessary in this regard, the bench added.