Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Tiruvallur district collector to explain as to why action has not been initiated against the district revenue officer, Tiruvallur and tahsildar, Poonamallee taluk, for not implementing its earlier directions relating to illegal extraction of groundwater.
A division bench comprising Justices S.Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the directive while passing further interim orders on a public interest litigation filed by P.R. Sivasankar, which sought a direction to the authorities to take appropriate action against the persons involved in illegal extraction of ground water in the lands at Padrithangal village of Poonamallee taluk.
The bench also directed the DRO, Tiruvallur and tahsildar, Poonamallee taluk, to explain as to why the directions issued by it on earlier occasion i.e., on July 12 have not been implemented in letter and spirit.
In his petition, Sivasankar submitted that Kumare-san and four others of Banaveduthottam Panchayat Union have dug up bore wells and extracts ground water for commercial purposes and thereby causing serious water shortage in the area. Therefore, he sent a representation to the authorities. But there was no response, he added.
When the case came up for hearing earlier, the bench had on July 12, after seeing the photographs produced by the petitioner, observed that the photographs reflects that there was a bore well and water was taken through pipes and there were several water tankers stationed and the entire place appears to have been covered with metal sheets.
The bench had directed the DRO and Tahsildar to cause inspection in the said village and the alleged business place, where the illegal extraction of ground water takes place and in the event of contravention of the Chennai Metropolitan Area Groundwater (Regulation) Act and Rules framed there under, take action, seize the electrical motor, apparatus used for extraction of water as well as vehicles used for transportation and distribution and submit action taken report by July 17.
When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, counsel for the petitioner submitted that no inspection was conducted or the directions issued by the court were implemented. Even now, the illegal extraction of groundwater was continuing, he added.
Following this bench gave the above directive and posted to July 18, further hearing of the case.
