Illegal constructions cause floods in city: HC

THE Madras High Court has stated that unauthorised constructions in Chennai are leading to floods during the monsoon, while commenting that such constructions are mushrooming because of the failure of officials in taking action during the initial stages.

- C SHIVAKUMAR

A division bench of Justices S M Subramaniam and V Lakshminarayanan, while recently sitting in a vacation court, made the comments and dismissed a petition filed by a woman, Shanthi, seeking to quash the lock, seal and demolition order issued against her property by the housing and urban development department.

The practice of filing writ petitions without even allowing the authorities to look into the matter, at no circumstance, will be encouraged by the High Courts, the bench said. Authorities must be provided with reasonable time to consider such revision petitions filed under the relevant statutes, it said, adding that the aggrieved persons are at liberty to move a petition seeking interim order, if any required, but they file writ petitions to prolong the issue and escape action.