HC judges inspect Vandiyur, Thenkal tanks

Madras High Court judges inspect Vandiyur and Thenkal tanks, petitions filed challenging road projects on tank bunds.

Madras High Court Judges Justice G.R. Swaminathan, Justice M. Dhandapani and Justice B. Pugalendhi on Monday inspected the Vandiyur and Thenkal tanks in Madurai. A batch of public interest litigation petitions have been filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court challenging the projects involving formation of roads on the bunds of Vandiyur and Thenkal tanks.

After two judges of a Division Bench of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took divergent views on the batch of petitions pertaining to the implementation of the projects, the High Court Registry was directed to place the papers before the Chief Justice for appropriate orders. Justice M. Dhandapani was named the third judge to hear the matter.

Earlier, a Division Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi heard the petitions filed by advocate R. Manibharathi of Madurai who challenged the projects and sought a direction to the authorities concerned to restore the two tanks to their original position.

While, Justice G.R. Swaminathan had granted an interim injunction on the works being carried out on the bunds of the tanks, Justice B. Pugalendhi said that he did not agree with the view of granting any interim order at this stage when the work was in progress since May 2023. Justice M. Dhandapani will hear the batch of petitions on January 23.