Waterbody Encroachment- "Collect Satellite Images Of All Waterbodies Across Tamil Nadu By April 30": Madras High Court

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy directed thus considering the complaints received from all over the State regarding waterbodies being encroached on or waterbodies being converted into residential or commercial plots.

Court's March 2 Order

It may be noted that earlier on March 2, the Collectors of all districts were directed by the Court to collect satellite images of every taluk under their jurisdiction as on March 15, however, the State Government on Thursday (April 15) submitted before the Court that the exercise had been completed only partially.

The order dated March 2, 2021, had required all the taluk level satellite images to be collated for each district and the district-wise satellite images to be maintained in the State secretariat.

The idea was that as of March 31, 2021, there would be satellite image proof of the existing water bodies so that in future such surviving waterbodies may be maintained and protected.

However, the State Government on April 15 submitted that the failure to complete the work within the time permitted was due to the State Assembly elections.

To this, the Court expressed its hope that the entire exercise be completed by April 30, 2021.

The Court also remarked,

"Taluk level and even panchayat level satellite images are necessary to protect the water bodies. At every level, such maps ought to be maintained so that any encroachment can be addressed immediately and the waterbody not desecrated beyond repair."

The Court also directed that the downloading of all images at the taluk and panchayat level should be completed within a week from the date by instructing the revenue officials at the Tahsildar or the Block Development Officer levels to ensure that the downloading of all the satellite images for the relevant taluk or block is completed in the next week or so.

Further, the Court observed that the larger exercise of correlating the images of the water bodies as evident from the satellite maps with the revenue records should be completed so that in future there can be no doubt as to the existence of any water body or the status of any land when called into question.

"The downloading of images should be completed within the next seven or ten days as directed above and the exercise of matching the same with the revenue records should be completed by the end of June, 2021", added the Court.

This Court has also hinted that at a later stage, it would require experts from recognized institutions to look into the images as downloaded and the same being matched by the revenue records.

Lastly, the matter was posted for further hearing on April 29, 2021 so that the State could report that the downloading of the images had been completed and for the Registrar-General to indicate what soft copy and other material may have been furnished to him.

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