Madras HC Directs Officials To Remove Encroachment Near Temple In Theni

The court also said that they could seek police protection for removing encroachment.

Madurai bench of Madras High Court ( Image Source :ANI )

Chennai: The Madras High Court directed Theni district administration to remove the encroachment on Uthamapalayam-Bodi Highways road within eight weeks on Wednesday. 

According to ANI, "Madurai bench of Madras High Court directs the authorities to remove the encroachments on the Bodhinayakanur-Uttampalayam road in Theni district within eight weeks."

On Wednesday, a Division Bench of Justices D. Krishnakumar and L. Victoria Gowri were hearing a petition filed by M Paul Raj of Theni district seeking to remove encroachment on the Uthamapalayam-Bodi Highways road.

Before the hearing, Assistant Executive Engineer of Highways Construction and Maintenance in Uthamapalayam in his counter affidavit said that a notice was issued to the encroachers but they opposed the move. He said, the villagers opposed it since there was a temple near the area. 

More than 100 people also staged a hunger strike opposing the removal of encroachments in November 2021. They also staged a protest in front of the assistant executive engineer, he said, as per Times of India. 

As a result, the encroachment removal was dropped by the authorities for the time being, he said, as per a report on The Hindu. 

The Division bench taking note of the affidavit ordered the officials to remove the encroachment within eight weeks. The court also said that they could seek police protection for removing encroachment. Later, the court disposed of the petition. 

Earlier, Madras High Court directed the GCC Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi to survey land near Varasithi Vinayagar temple in Vadapalani to remove encroachments within 6 weeks.

The case was moved by petitioner G Deva, a resident of Chennai who said that the 15-foot road to the temple was a complete encroachment.