M/S. Ramapuram Social Welfare Federation, v. The Chief Secretary,
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 04.09.2025 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN and W.M.P.Nos.22602 of 2019; 8545 and 8549 of 2022 Ramapuram Social Welfare Federation, rep. jointly by President A.Paul Dhas and Secretary S. Raja, No. 8, 6th Street, Rayala Nagar, Ramapuram, Chennai - 600089 Petitioner Vs 1.The Chief Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600009 2.The District Collector, Chennai, No. 62, Rajaji Salai, Chennai - 600001 3.The District Revenue Officer, Chennai,
4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Chennai Central Region, 5.The Tahsildhar, Maduravoyal Taluk, Maduravoyal, Chennai 6.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Kosathalai River Division, Thiruvallur - 602 001 7.The Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department, Kosathalai Sub Division, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005 8.The Junior Engineer, Public Works Department, Adyar River Division, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai - 600 016 9.The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, No. 5, Kamarajar Salai, Chennai 10.The Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 11.Chennai Metroplitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Rep. by its Chairman, No.1, Pumping Station Road, Chennai.
12.Thirumalai Nagar Veettu Urimaiyalargal Podhunalasangam (Regd. No.453/2018), Rep. by its President, E.Ravi, S/o.Elumalai, No.3/75, Natarajan Salai, Thirumalai Nagar, Ramapuram, Chennai 600089.
13.M.Ganagavalli, W/o.Munusamy, No.3/9, VOC Street, Ramapuram, Chennai 600089.
Respondents [Respondent No.11 impleaded vide order dated 5.4.2022 made in WMP No.24332 of 2019] [Respondent No.12 impleaded vide order dated 5.4.2022 made in WMP No.8286 of 2022] [Respondent No.13 impleaded vide order dated 5.4.2022 made in WMP No.8393 of 2022] PRAYER : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the 5th respondent to remove the encroachments in Water bodies, Lakes and Ramapuram Lake comprised in S.No.239, Ramapuram Village, Maduravoyal Taluk, and direct the respondents to restore natural Water storage resources, bodies, canals and Ramapuram lake which existed prior to 1987. For Petitioner:
Mr.G.Mohana Krishnan For Respondents:
Mr.J.Ravindran Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.M.Habeeb Rahman, Government Advocate for respondent Nos.1 to 8
Mr.G.Venkatesan for respondent No.9 Mrs.P.T.Ramadevi Standing Counsel for respondent No.10 Mr.Krishna Ravindran for respondent No.11 Mr.S.Thirumoorthy for respondent No.12 Mr.A.K.Samy for M/s.Shanmitha for respondent No.13
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) Heard learned counsel for the parties.
2. This petition was filed before this Court alleging that there are widespread encroachments on government land of Ramapuram lake. After issuance of notice to other parties, as is borne out from the records, the respondent authorities conducted survey and,
according to them, there are certain encroachments. Based on the survey reports, the respondent authorities issued notices to large number of persons towards removal of encroachments. At this stage, most of those persons, against whom such notices were issued, filed writ petitions. That is how, writ petitions challenging issuance of notices and action towards removal of encroachments came to be connected with the present Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
3. As the respondent authorities have initiated action and issued notices to the encroachers, who filed the separate writ petitions challenging the legality and validity of the notices on grounds raised by them in their respective writ petitions, the purpose of filing the PIL is served.
4. In view of the above development, the PIL is now closed. Respondent No.13 in this PIL is granted liberty to challenge the eviction notice. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, W.M.P.No.22602 of 2019 is also closed.
5. We find that applications, being W.M.P.Nos.8545 and 8549 of 2022, seeking impleadment have been filed in this writ petition. The said applications are disposed of with liberty to the applicants to file separate petitions, if so advised.
(MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, CJ) (G.ARUL MURUGAN,J) 04.09.2025 Index :
Yes/No :
Yes/No bbr To:
1.The Chief Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600009 2.The District Collector, Chennai, No. 62, Rajaji Salai, Chennai - 600001 3.The District Revenue Officer, Chennai,
4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Chennai Central Region, 5.The Tahsildhar, Maduravoyal Taluk, Maduravoyal, Chennai 6.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Kosathalai River Division, Thiruvallur - 602 001 7.The Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department, Kosathalai Sub Division, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005 8.The Junior Engineer, Public Works Department, Adyar River Division, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai - 600 016 9.The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, No. 5, Kamarajar Salai, Chennai 10.The Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 11.The Chair, Chennai Metroplitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, No.1, Pumping Station Road, Chennai.
THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN,J.
bbr 04.09.2025