Madras High Court orders inspection of eight tanks in Noyyal river system to identify encroachments

A special Division Bench of the Madras High Court hearing environment and forest-related cases has directed the Advocate Commissioner to inspect eight tanks in the Noyyal river system in Coimbatore to find out encroachments.

Sources in the know of the development said that Advocate Commissioner S.J. Mohamed Sathik, who inspected Singanallur tank that is part of the Noyyal river system in Coimbatore as per the court’s direction, flagged large-scale encroachments. He informed the court that a list of encroachers was awaited from the Revenue Department. 

The court in turn directed the Advocate Commissioner to inspect eight tanks within the Coimbatore Corporation limits, namely Ukkadam big tank (Periyakulam), Valankulam, Narasampathy, Krishnampathy, Selvampathy, Kumaraswamy (Muthannakulam), Selvachinthamani and Singanallur that are associated with the Noyyal.

The court also impleaded the Tamil Nadu State Wetlands Authority in the case,which relates to Chennai-based petitioner S. Muralidharan challenging commercial activities by Coimbatore Corporation in Ukkadam big tank and Valankulam.

The amici curiae appointed by the court had earlier suggested to notify the eight tanks as wetlands under the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. Additionally, they wanted the State Government to consider notifying the eight tanks as protected areas under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, or as an Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure.