MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the state government in a case pertaining to a canal that has been polluted to the extent of 100 metres. The amount should be paid to the Chief Justice’s Welfare Fund. The case pertains to a petition filed by K Mani, who sought steps to prevent pollution of the Navaneri Kamma Basin Canal in S Kallampatti, repair damages sustained by the waterbody, and maintain the canal properly.
Pursuant to the earlier directions issued by the court, Superintendent Engineer (PWD, WRO) of Periyar Vaigai Basin Canal (Circle), Tallakulam had filed a status report in which the official admitted that the Kalampatti Village Panchayat had constructed drainage channels on both sides of the village road and connected it directly with the irrigation channel, which consequently got polluted up to an extent of 100 metres.
Alarmed by the report, the court in 2022 directed the Madurai District Collector to ensure that the drainage channels were blocked. Pursuant to the directions, the Collector filed a report stating that the work for the construction of a vertical soak pit is in progress and that the drainage water has entirely been stopped from mixing from the channel.
A Bench of Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri while disposing of the petition said the report stated that the channel has been polluted to the extent of 100 metres. Hence, the court imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh to be paid by the government to the Chief Justice’s Welfare Fund. The government can recover the costs from the persons who were responsible for constructing the drainage channel and connecting it to the canal.