Town panchyat directed to remove encroachments from water tank

: Madras High Court has directed Muthupettai town panchayat in Tiruvarur district to immediately remove encroachments from Pattarai Kulam water tank and disapproved of a meeting held with encroachers who were offered alternative accommodation.
"Merely because it is the government land, the charity to give it up to the third party was shown by officers, who would not do so in respect of their own house," observed the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh.
Petitioner S Mohamed Malik, former district secretary of Manidha Neya Makkal Katchi, said most of the 42 ponds and tanks in the region had been encroached and Pattarai Kulam located right behind the town bus stand too was encroached.

The panchayat executive officer in counter-affidavit said a meeting was held with encroachers, who had accepted an alternative accommodation elsewhere.
Disapproving of the meeting and the offer, the bench said it was unable to accept the averment that a meeting was held on Feb 16 and the encroachers had accepted their removal, that too on condition of being rehabilitated elsewhere.
"If any encroacher seeks two months' time to vacate, then they must file an undertaking/affidavit in this court within a week, failing which forthwith action will be taken by authorities," they said.
The matter was adjourned to April 23 for further hearing.