CHENNAI: The water resources department on Friday in a report said it had identified 244 encroachments on the Puzhal lake catchment area and four encroachments in Korattur lake. This comes after TOI published a report showing the corporation put illegal streetlights inside the water bodies in 2018.
WRD officials said a field inspections of Puzhal lake along with revenue officials found the corporation had indiscriminately put streetlights for these encroachments deep inside the water body. “The lights are inside the water body and the encroachers are now creating roads. We will send notices to these residents and the corporation must remove all the lights from Puzhal lake,” said a WRD official.
The official said ever since the corporation added lights in areas like Iyappan Nagar and those beyond that, it has paved the way for encroachments. “There was no road, sewage line or garbage collection activity here. The corporation still put up lights. We will send notices and demolish the houses,” the official added. The PWD has also shared the survey numbers of its lake catchment area where the corporation has installed lights. Despite the PWD coming out in the open, the corporation is yet to say if they would remove the illegal lights.
PWD officials said even in Korattur lake, there were nearly four encroachments in RK Dakshin Nagar and the corporation lights there are illegal and have to be removed. Ward 83 councillor N Usha said the lights will be removed in Korattur.
The corporation meanwhile has put two deputy commissioners to conduct an enquiry. Some of the zonal officials were pulled up on Friday. A detailed report on the encroachments is to be submitted by Sunday to corporation commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi.
Corporation vigilance officer R Gunavharman said he will conduct separate investigations and all the officials concerned will be questioned. “Visuals show streetlights are being present on the water body. We have already begun our investigation and a report will be submitted by Tuesday,” he said.
Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam said the incident of putting street lights on water bodies appears to be a scam. “The corporation must find out who all were involved and hold accountable. The corporation’s vigilance department must be used and the proceedings of the investigation and enquiries uploaded online for the common public to see,” he said.
The illegal lights have also paved the way for encroachments and departmental action must be taken on the officials.
