VELLORE: Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) razed around 75 of 230 houses for encroaching upon the embankments of twin lakes in Kazhinjur and Dharapadavedu in Katpadi on Saturday. Several police officials, including DSPs from Vellore and Katpadi, were present. The officials said the remaining houses would be demolished in the coming days.
Work has been under way for a year now to convert the area into a recreation centre, at an estimate of nearly Rs 30 crore. Sources said officials, for a year now, have been urging the residents to relocate. The residents, mostly comprising daily wage labourers living in approximately 500 sq ft houses, have been seeking more time.
A revenue official said their several attempts to clear the encroachments had failed due to the residents' opposition. “After multiple rounds of talks, in the last three months, several residents started to relocate. As a last resort to clear the encroachments, water and electricity connections were severed on Saturday," he said, adding that the residents were granted pattas in Puthur and Karigiri.
A WRD official said that boating facilities would be developed in the waterbodies once the water level increases during the monsoon, as the lakes are only 25%-30% full at the moment. In addition to a compound wall, footpaths and view towers would be built. The official said the project -- its delay was attributed to the issues with clearing the encroachments -- would be completed in two to three months. “Besides offering a much-needed recreation, the project will also help preserve the waterbody, provide us with drinking water during summer seasons and recharge the water table,” he said.