The Chitlapakkam Residents’ Associations Coordination Committee has made a representation to the government that survey numbers of roads, canals and waterbodies be displayed in its offices to prevent further encroachments.
In a letter to the Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Monday, the committee said encroachment of public spaces, government lands and waterbodies continued despite legal provisions including the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 and Tamil Nadu Protection of Tanks and Eviction of Encroachment Act, 2007.
Its president P.Viswanathan said if the survey numbers of the government lands and waterways and lakes were displayed at various government offices it would help bring awareness among people about revenue records and prevent new encroachments.
“The government offices should also put up sign boards that land transactions are prohibited in such survey numbers. The boards carrying street/road names must also have details on the width of the roads,” he said.
Encroachments are one of the major reasons for flooding in the city. For instance, the water channel carrying surplus water from Selaiyur lake to Chitlapakkam lake has shrunk over the decades. Various efforts taken in the region have only helped reduce flooding, he added.
The committee also stressed that periodic inspection of government lands must be taken up by VAOs and government officials.
