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WP No. 50702 of 2025

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 29-12-2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V. LAKSHMINARAYANAN

WP No. 50702 of 2025

and

W.M.P.Nos.56780 & 56782 of 2025

1. M/S VENKATESH COKE AND

POWER Limited

Represented by its authorized Signatory

Mr. Sethu Madhavan 6296 A/D-1

chandrawal Road

New Delhi 110 007

Petitioner(s)

Vs

1. Government Of India

Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Department

of commerce, SEZ Section, Represetned by

Additional Secretary to the government,

Vanijya Bhawan, new Delhi 110 011

2.The Secretary to Government

Industries, Investment promotion and Commerce

Department, Secretairat, chennai 600 009

3.The Special Secretary to government

Public works Department, Secretairat,

Chennai 600 009

4.The Secretary to Government

Water Resources Department, Secretairat,

Chennai 600 009

5.The District Collector

first Floor, Collectorate, thiruvallur 602001

6.The District Revenue officer

Master Plan complex, NH205, Thiruvallur 602001

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WP No. 50702 of 2025

7.The Revenue Divisional officer

JN road, Thiruvallur 602 001

8.The Tahsildar

Ponneri Taluk, Ponneri, thiruvallur District

9.The Chief Engineer

Water Resources Department, Chennai Zone,

Chepauk, Chennai 600 005

10.The Exective Engineer

Araniyar Basin Division, Water Resource

Department, Chennai 600 005

11.NDR Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.,

Nandiambakkam Port Road, nandiambakakm,

Ponneri taluk thiruvallur Distrct,

Chennai 600 120

Respondent(s)

PRAYER

Call for the records pertaining to the Impugned order dated 26.07.2025 passed

by the 5th Respondent in the case proceedings in Na.Ka. no 2090647 of 2024

and the No Objection letter dated 15.05.2018 issued by the 9th Respondent

along with the subsequent proceedings, and set aside the same with a

consequential direction to the 2nd to 10th Respondents to not permit any

construction of any structure or laying of road over the water channels, at

Survey No 1/1 and 2/4 at Athipattu Village, and to remove the stones already

erected in and around the said water channels, and restore the water channels to

its original levels, enabling the Petitioner to maintain the natural contour of the

said water channel without any disturbance.

For Petitioner(s): M/s.Inthu Karunakaran

For Respondent(s): Mr.P.Gurunathan

Additional Government Pleader

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WP No. 50702 of 2025

ORDER

By consent of both the counsels, this writ petition is taken up for final

disposal.

2.I heard Ms.Inthu Karunakaran for the petitioner and Mr.P.Gurunathan,

Additional Government Pleader for the respondents.

3.The petitioner is the owner of vast extent of lands situated in Athipattu

Village, Ponneri Taluk, Thiruvallur District. The petitioner has obtained

necessary approvals from the Union of India to establish a Special Economic

Zone (SEZ) for its land. The Special Economic Zone is to cater to the needs of

Free Trade Warehousing (FTWZ). In the holdings and abutting the holdings of

the petitioner, water channels are situated. In particular, a channel is said to run

through Survey No.1/1 and 2/4 of Athipattu Village.

4.The grievance of the petitioner is that the 6^th respondent namely, the

Revenue Divisional Officer, Thiruvallur, is constructing RCC Box with cut-and-

cover (Two Vent) culvert, over the aforesaid channel. This petitioner submits the

order permitting such constructions amounts to encroaching on water body and

that the No Objection Certificate granted for this purpose requires to be

quashed. The petitioner relies upon an earlier order passed by this Court in

W.P.No.14127 of 2019, dated 08.05.2019. In the said writ petition, a Division

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WP No. 50702 of 2025

Bench of this Court directed that it is the duty of the respondents 1 to 5 therein

to see that no water channel is affected. The petitioner states despite this clear

and specific direction, the respondents are proceeding to encroac