MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court castigated State authorities for their ‘lethargic attitude’ in taking action against encroachments on waterbodies, saying that the attitude has encouraged squatters to assume that encroachment is their fundamental right.
A division bench, comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and B Pugalendhi, made the remark during the suo motu proceedings into the father-son duo double murder in Karur and also the contempt petition pending before the court in relation to a lake encroachment in Muthalaipatti village in Kulithalai, opposing which led to the duo’s murder.
The judges observed that though there are several Acts in place against encroachments, lack of monitoring by authorities has emboldened encroachers to engage in the practice. Pointing out that the direction given by the court last year seeking compliance report on removal of encroachment in the said lake has not been complied with, the judges further warned the officials that belated compliance of court order also attracts punishment under contempt. The judges directed the authorities concerned to file a report containing details regarding original extent of the lake, how it got reduced, number of encroachments in the lake and action taken for removal of encroachments, by the next hearing on August 14.
The deceased, Ramar alias Veeramalai (65) and his son Vandu alias Nallathambi (40) were allegedly hacked to death by a gang for filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court Bench here opposing the lake encroachment.
Status report on probe
Regarding the murder case, Additional Advocate General K Chellapandian submitted that eight persons (seven surrendered and one arrested) have been secured in connection with the murder and that the probe is now handled by Kulithalai Deputy Superintendent of Police under direct monitoring of Karur Superintendent of Police. A sub-inspector of police and five constables have been deputed to provide protection to the family members of the deceased, he added.
‘Shrunk to 15.79 acres’
The judges noted that the Mudalaipatti lake had an original extent of nearly 196.42 acres but it has now been reduced to 15.79.5 ares. They further added that the authorities have issued 2B pattas to several persons