VELLORE: The Pernambut Consumer Welfare Protection Society has appealed to the district administration to initiate action against officials neglecting the protection of water bodies from encroachment which has caused water-logging, loss of lives and major inconvenience to people living close by.
In a memorandum submitted to the district collector, society president T Basheeruddin said that had officials been vigilant and not allowed encroachment, all this could have been averted, he reasoned.
Basheeruddin said that all bunds of Palar and its tributaries, should be strengthened before the onset of monsoon every year. Rains in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh have brought copious water flow into one of the tributaries of Palar near Pernambut and due to encroachment and weak bunds, water has entered into residential areas. Local bodies should be strictly advised not to dump garbage into rivers and canals. No free housing should be given to poor people near the water bodies and the district administration should monitor allotment, he said.