Madurai, December 22: The Madras High Court Bench here today said the Government Order regarding grant of patta for those living in unused public area for more than 10 years would not apply to the stretch coming under irrigation tanks.
A bench of justices D Murugesan and S Nagamuthu, dismissing a petition by Uppliyanthittu Kamarajar Nagar Residents Welfare Association and 30 others seeking pattas, came down on the Dindigul District Administration and Palani Municipality for allowing encrochments and their failure to protect two main water sources — Sirunaikulam Tank and Vaiyapuri Tank.
They said district authorities had allowed encroachments step by step. “Had encroachments been removed in the initial stage, further encroachments could have been avoided.”
The court ordered removal of all 511 houses that had come up as encroachments within six months.
–Agencies