Chennai: In an important order, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) here has asked PWD to remove the bund built across the Porur lake here and also restrained any private party from drawing water. Further, the tribunal put a blanket ban on any construction.
Disposing of a petition, Justice P. Jyothimani and expert member R.Nagendran directed that in view of the recent Madras high court order on removal of encroachments from water bodies and the recent flood situation, the PWD shall remove the bund.
In view of the order, Ramachandra medical educational trust, which claims ownership of adjacent land measuring around 17 acres, should not draw water from the lake for their private use and cannot make any construction. Abdul Saleem, special government pleader, submitted that the bund was underwater and an order of injunction continues to be in operation which stopped the government from doing any work there.
He told DC that the government accepted the tribunal’s verdict and will remove the bund accordingly. “There is no doubt that Ramachandra medical educational trust has patta for the land, but in view of the order they can neither use the water nor carry out any construction”.
The petitioner’s side argued that there were several discrepancies in the way patta was granted to the lake land. “To get patta, one should have possession of the land. Where is the possession here? Porur lake was once spread across 800 acres, but today it’s reduced to around 300 acres. Finally, justice has prevailed”.
Revenue records gathered from 1920 show that Ramachandra institute has patta for the land. However, the master plan-2026 of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) shows the land as a lake area.
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