13 shops encroaching upon channel removed

Kovilpatti

Thirteen buildings that were encroaching upon Sevalkulam channel were razed by government authorities amid tight security here on Monday.

Even as 106 shops under Shenbagavalli Amman Kovil and 25 other shops operated by individuals were encroaching upon the channel, all except the 13 that were demolished, have a case pending before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. Some of the shops were resting on concrete columns constructed upon the channel.

The shops had been impeding the flow of water, resulting in flow of drainage water on the road during monsoons.

RDO J. Vijaya, Tahsildar Manikandan and officials from the Highways, Revenue, Tangedco, Fire and Rescue Services and the Police department oversaw the process. Over 200 police personnel were deployed for security.

Tamilarasan, secretary of ‘Neervarathu Odai Aakramippu Meetpukuzhu’, said that the president of the organisation, Sankaralingam, had filed the case at the Madurai Bench of Madras HC, after which an order was passed in 2010 to remove the encroachments.

Even as further litigation followed, he said that the organisation conducted protests to ensure that the encroachments were removed.

“We emphasised that road expansion work should be taken up only after removing the encroachments. Road traffic would get better, and water would be able to flow into the channel easily once the encroachments were fully removed. Those who were running the shops should be given alternative space by the government,” he said.

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