Plea to clean channel opposite GRH

Madurai High Court directs Corporation to clean water channel near GRH, petitioner seeks expedited desilting, encroachment removal.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed Madurai Corporation to file a status report to a public interest litigation petition that sought the direction to the authorities to clean the water channel located opposite the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

A Division Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi sought response from the authorities to the petition filed by M. Paneerselvam of Madurai. The petitioner sought a direction to th eauthorities concerned to expedite the desilting / cleaning works as expeditiously as possible.

He said that he was shocked to see piles of garbage, solid debris, sewage and other untreated waste floating in the water channel located opposite the GRH. He said that it was the duty of the authorities to ensure that the channel was desilted and clean.

The petitioner also complained about the encroachments made on the water channel. He said that the encroachments should be removed and the channel restored to its original state. The petitioner said that he had made a representation to the authorities concerned in this regard. However, no steps had been taken. The court adjourned the hearing till September 5.