Houses in Korattur lake pulled down

Chennai: After repeated protests by local residents and several court orders, the state govt has resumed clearing encroachments in Korattur Lake.The water resources department demolished five houses in R K Dakshan Nagar and four on Ellaiamman Koil Street on Friday as part of efforts to clear encroachments from the foreshore area of the lake. The move follows a Madras high court directive.According to a senior WRD official, these structures were built in recent years with political support. In addition to these demolitions, 14 more houses identified as encroachments within the lake will soon be removed. So far, the department has evicted 58 encroachers and demolished their structures. Founder of Korattur Aeri Padhukappau Makkal Iyakkam (KAPMI), S Sekharan, said authorities were only targeting houses identified as encroachments by the high court. He pointed out that houses on Ondi Veeran Koil Street have not been demolished, despite being identified as encroachments. "There are 7 houses on that street, which were also recognized by the court, but no action has been taken against them," Sekharan said. The lake, originally spanning 214 acres, has now shrunk to one-fourth of its original size due to encroachments.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.