MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court sought response from the district administration on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking to desilt the Sellur tank in Madurai district.
A division bench of Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri was hearing a petition filed by R Abubakkar of Madurai, seeking desilting works and deepening of the catchment area in Sellur tank and to remove the water hyacinth (Agayathamarai) and Prosopis Juliflora in and around the tank.
He said the tank is the tail-end tank in the Sholavandan minor basin. The ayacut of the tank is 72.73 hectares, although there is no cultivation in the ayacut area at present since the whole ayacut has been urbanised. The tank is used to recharge groundwater for the surrounding areas, the petitioner said, adding that the thick growth of water hyacinth in the catchment area blocks water flow into the tank during rains, causing Vaigai water to drain away wastefully. The removal of juliflora trees were also part of desilting works, but it was not removed in a full fledged manner, he submitted. Seeking a response, the court adjourned the case.