MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the state government to remove 29 encroachments, including seven government buildings, in Puravi Goundan tank, in Tharagampatti village, in Karur. A Bench of justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi gave the direction while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Muniyappan in 2019. According to the litigant, the encroachments have not been removed despite several complaints. He requested the court to direct the authorities to remove the encroachments expeditiously.
When the case was recently heard, the additional advocate general submitted a report stating that 29 encroachments had been identified in the tank area. "It is not as if private individuals alone are guilty. The government has also constructed as many as seven buildings," the judges noted, and ordered the removal of all encroachments, including the government buildings. Since the encroachments also include Anganwadi buildings, the judges granted three months to the authorities to remove the encroachments. "At the end of six months from today, the tank should be restored to its original condition. Mere demolition will not suffice and the debris will also have to be duly removed," they added.