MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday sought a report from the Virudhunagar collector on two Public Interest Litigations (PIL) filed seeking removal of roads which were laid by allegedly encroaching two water bodies in Aruppukottai taluk of Virudhunagar.
S Neethiraj alleged in the PILs that two private individuals have constructed roads inside the water bodies, namely Puliyooran kanmai and Pannikundu kanmai, in Aruppukottai to create pathways to their quarry sites. A huge volume of minerals is being illegally excavated from the water bodies, he added. This has led to the destruction of not only the two water bodies but the irrigation channels situated in the vicinity have also been encroached, he said.
He also claimed that the quarry site is located within 300 metres of the residential area. But the officials granted quarry permission without even visiting the site, he alleged. Moreover, a railway track is situated just 30 metres from the quarry site in Puliyooran kanmai, he further alleged. Though the villagers conducted a protest and also gave petitions to the authorities concerned, no steps have been taken against the encroachment, Neethiraj added.
A Bench of justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri directed the collector to file a report on the allegations made by the litigant and adjourned both cases.