AJIT PRAKASH SHAH, C. J.

These petitions, filed in public interest, seek to highlight the maladministration and prevalent corrupt practices, because of which almost all the water bodies and water courses in and around the city of Chennai were allowed to be encroached upon, resulting in the reduction of their water spread areas and acuta water shortage in the region. It is seen that the water bodies which have been formed during the last centuries have been allowed to be encroached upon by allowing residential houses and commercial structures to be constructed therein and in some cases, even regularizing such constructions.

2. The deteriorating status of water bodies in and around the city of Chennai can be seen from the following table prepared by the Special Secretary to Government, Public Works Department, Chennai:

Name of the Water Body Location Total

Area

(In Hec.) Original

Capac

ity (Mm2) Encroach

ed Area

(In

Hec.) Balance

Area

(In

Hec.) No.

of

Encro

achme

nts

Tambaram Pudu Thangal Tambaram 10.42.50 0.08 2.69.50 7.73.0 280

Ambattur Tank Ambattur 307.25.5 6.10 37.45.0 153.23.0 9000

Ayanambakkam Eri Ayanambakkam 61.01.5 8.2 24.30.0 36.71.5 2500

Korattur Tank Korattur 240.76.0 6.69 9.50.0 231.