Why no action against encroachers?

CHENNAI: “We don’t find any reason as to why the Tamil Nadu government will not initiate proceedings and take action against all those persons who have encroached upon the government land without any authority of law,” the Madras High Court has wondered.The first Bench comprising Chief Justice MY Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam made the observation on Tuesday while disposing of a public interest writ petition from ‘Traffic’ KR Ramaswamy, a social worker, praying for a direction to the Chief Secretary to take appropriate action against the officials, who had failed to restrain encroachments on government lands throughout the State.“Since a general direction has been sought for, we do not find any reason as to why the Tamil Nadu government will not initiate proceedings and take action against all those persons who have encroached upon the government land without any authority of law,” the Bench said and disposed of the petition.In his public interest writ petition, ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy alleged that nearly four acres in Velachery, opposite the MRTS railway station, had been grabbed and misused by vested interests by constructing illegal commercial and quasi-residential structures. The land was allotted to the MRTS in 2004 after evicting the occupants. The vested interest persons, a network of politicians and traders, constructed the unauthorised buildings in benami names. One such building was the Arunachala Guest House. The buildings were constructed without approval from the authorities concerned, the petitioner alleged.