Encroachments by a rice mill owned by former minister K N Nehru’s younger brother Manivannan were removed at Poovalur village near Lalgudi here on Sunday.
Revenue officials had received complaints that the rice mill functioning on an area of 2.5 acres had encroached on government land. The Keezhapanguni canal was flowing in front of the rice mill and a 20-feet cement bridge had been constructed to cross the canal from the main road. Cement pillars had been raised on the canal to support the bridge for the free movement of lorries to the mill. It is alleged that a compound wall had been erected along the bank with a cement roof covering the encroached area. A notice was sent to the mill owner by the revenue and PWD authorities.
On Sunday, officials headed by Lalgudi Deputy Collector Parthiban went to the mill and giant machines to demolish the encroachments were brought to the spot.
The rice mill officials with a few advocates and DMK workers gathered at the place soon. When the officials explained to the mill authorities that they were going to remove the encroachments, the lawyers contended that no encroachments had been made and all structures had been constructed with proper permission.
Following the dispute, land survey officials measured the land and marked the encroached area.
The demolition work started in the presence of hundreds of policemen to avert any untoward incident.
Manivannan told media representatives that revenue officials had given consent for land transfer in 2010 and the charges of encroachments were not true.
Denying that he had received any notice regarding the encroachments, he said the bridge had been constructed with prior permission and was useful for the local people to cross the canal.When the DMK workers resorted to a road blockade opposing the demolition, police held negotiations with them. When the protest was not abandoned, they resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
