CHENNAI: The first bench of the Madras High Court comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan has sought the authorities concerned to submit the list of all persons who have encroached upon land on the slopes of Tiruvannamalai hills and surrounding waterbodies.
The bench directed the respondent authorities to file the list during the next hearing of the petition seeking eviction of the encroachments filed by advocate 'Elephant' G Rajendran, and adjourned the hearing to November 6, 2025.
Referring to the submission of the respondents that notices were issued to the encroachers and further steps were on, the bench said, "We expect the authorities to act expeditiously and take action against those who are, according to the official respondents' report, found to be encroachers and free up the land at the earliest."
Further, in view of the statement made by the petitioner that notices have been issued to the persons who encroached upon the slope of the hill, but not to those who encroached upon several tanks and odai (waterbodies) in the area, the bench said the state counsel shall make a definite statement, and directed that a status report be filed within two weeks.
The bench directed TN Power Distribution Corporation Limited (formerly Tangedco), which is also a respondent in the case, to file a separate status report on the action it has taken on this matter.