CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the State government to come up with a detailed plan of action to remove the encroachments on meikaal poramboke (grazing lands) across the State, which numbers approximately to 79,000.
The first Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu said, “The State must endeavour to ensure that there is no further encroachment. The revenue authorities should take steps to remove encroachments, particularly the incremental encroachment, by persons who may have legitimately occupied the original plots, before they proceed against rank encroachers who have settled in for want of any other place.”
Responding to a plea, the State had said that though the law requires strict maintenance of the characters of the land, the need for employment opportunities with increasing industries would require exceptions.
Recording the submission, the court said, “However, it does not appear that the exceptions are made for good reasons in each case.” With population growth, the demand for land will also grow. But, the extent of land available cannot be stretched, the court said.