Madras High Court Pulls Up TN Government For Poor Handling Of Water Crisis In Chennai City Despite Two Failed Monsoons

The Tamil Nadu government has been pulled up by the Madras High Court for not taking adequate steps to handle the water crisis in Chennai despite two failed monsoons.

The court was hearing cases filed against the commercial exploitation of groundwater from the outskirts of Chennai city, including a PIL by a resident of Vellore district, who had alleged that sewage was being allowed to flow through into a water body.

Earlier, the court had sought a reply from the Tamil Nadu state government about the steps they had taken up to handle the water crisis.

After the Tamil Nadu government explained steps taken to handle the water crisis as well as the progress of new desalination projects, the court suo moto impleaded the secretary of Public Works Department (PWD).

He was directed to submit a state wide comprehensive report about the number of reservoirs in the state of Tamil Nadu, steps taken to de-silt them, the amounts sanctioned, and the present status of these works.

The court directed the PWD secretary who is vested with the custody of preserving lakes to submit a detailed report of the steps taken for the removal of encroachment.

The PWD secretary was directed to issue a circular to all district collectors to submit details about the action taken to remove encroachments near water bodies.

The court also sought a report on the status of desalination projects taken up by the Tamil Nadu government as well as information about plans to set up additional desalination plants.

The case has been posted for further hearing on June 26.