Madras High Court
G.Devarajan vs The Additional Chief Secretary To ... on 27 January, 2022
Author: M.N.Bhandari
Bench: Munishwar Nath Bhandari, P.D.Audikesavalu
W.P.No.856 of 2021
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
Reserved on : 16.12.2021 Pronounced on : 27.01.2022
CORAM :
THE HON'BLE MR.MUNISHWAR NATH BHANDARI,
ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE P.D.AUDIKESAVALU
W.P.No. 856 of 2021
G.Devarajan .. Petitioner
vs
1. The Additional Chief Secretary to Government,
Hindu Religious Endowments Department,
Secretariat,
Chennai – 600 009.
2. The District Collector,
62, IV Floor, Rajaji Salai,
Chennai – 600 001.
3. The Commissioner,
Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department,
119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai,
Nungambakkam,
Chennai – 600 034.
4. The Executive Officer,
Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department,
Arulmigu Anandheeswarar Temple (TM042419),
Thulasingam Street,
Perambur,
Chennai – 600 011.
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W.P.No.856 of 2021
5. The Executive Officer,
Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department,
Arulmigu Palani Andhaver Temple (TM000231),
Muniyappa Naikar Street,
Perambur,
Chennai – 600 011.
6. The Tahsildar,
Perambur Taluk Office,
Perambur High Road,
Perambur,
Chennai – 600 011.
7. The Commissioner,
Greater Chennai Police,
Commissioner Office,
Vepery,
Chennai – 600 007.
8. The Inspector of Police,
K9, Sembium Police Station (Law and Order),
Sembium,
Chennai – 600 011.
9. The Commissioner,
Greater Chennai Corporation,
Ripon Building,
Chennai – 600 003.
10. The Zonal Officer (Zone 4),
Greater Chennai Corporation,
266, Thiruvottiyur High Road,
Old Washermanpet,
Chennai – 600 021.
11. The Assistant Engineer (Ward 44),
Greater Chennai Corporation,
Perambur,
Chennai – 600 011.
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W.P.No.856 of 2021
12. The Managing Director,
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board,
Pumping Station Road,
Chennai – 600 002.
13. The Area Engineer (Area IV),
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board,
MKB Nagar,
Chennai – 600 039.
14. The Assistant Engineer (Depot No. 44),
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewereage Board,
Vadivelu II Cross,
Chennai – 600 011.
15. The Managing Director,
Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited
(TANGEDCO),
10th Floor, NPKRR Maaligai,
144, Anna Salai,
Chennai – 600 002.
16. The Assistant Engineer (Perambur),
Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited,
Paper Mills Lane,
Perambur,
Chennai – 600 011.
17. The Inspector General of Registration,
100, Santhome High Road,
Raja Annamalaipuram,
Chennai – 600 028.
18. M/s. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.,
Rep. by its Manager,
Circle Office at A1 Towers,
89/91, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai,
Mylapore,
Chennai – 600 004.
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W.P.No.856 of 2021
19. Kalaivani
20. Kamalakannan
21. Selvam
22. Sarajini
23. Sivaramakrishnan
24. Paranthaman
25. Suresh Solomon
26. P.V.Mohanamani ..
Respondents
Prayer: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the First to Fifth
Respondents to consider and thereby disposing the representations
made by the Petitioner on 24.02.2020, 29.02.2020, 04.10.2020,
04.11.2020 and 11.11.2020 and directing the Sixth, Eighth, Eleventh,
Fourteenth and Sixteenth Respondents to conduct the survey and to
evict all type of encroachments if any made on water bodies as ponds
and temple land which belonging to the Arulmigu Anandheeswarar
Temple, Thulasingam Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011
(TM042419) and Arulmigu Palani Andhaver Temple, Muniappa Naiker
Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011, Chennai District, Perambur
Taluk (TM0002321) as (a) Block No. 0046, Survey No. 802/0
measuring an extent of Hectare/Area/Sq.Meter 0-5.33.5 Ares, (b)
Block No. 0046, Survey No. 804/0 measuring an extent of
Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-12.46.5 Ares, (c) Block No. 0046, Survey
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W.P.No.856 of 2021
No. 834/1 measuring an extent of Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-22.25.5,
(d) Block No. 0046, Survey No. 835/1 measuring an extent of
Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-24.12.5, (e) Block No. 0046, Survey No.
837/1 meausring an extent of Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-0.8.5 finds
that the superstructures put upon by them are
authorized/unauthorized/deviated, necessary and immediate steps
shall be taken in accordance with law to demolish the offending
constructions and may also disconnection of electricity supply as well
as water and sewerage connection.
For the Petitioner : Mr. G.Devarajan (Party-in-Person)
For the Respondents 1, 2 : Mr. R.Shunmugasundaram,
and 6 to 8 Advocate General
assisted by
Mrs. R. Anitha,
Special Government Pleader
For the Respondent 3 : Mr. T.Chandrasekaran,
Special Government Pleader
For the Respondent 4 : Mr. A.K.Sriram for Mr. A.S.Kailasam
For the Respondents 9 to 11 : Mrs. Karthika Ashok,
Standing Counsel
For the Respondents 12 to : Mr. M.Vijayakumar
14
For the Respondents 15 & : Mr. L.Jaivenkatesh
16
For the Respondent 17 : Mr. Yogesh Kannadasan,
Special Government Pleader
For the Respondent 18 : Mr. A.M.Venkatakrishnan
For the Respondents 5, 19 : No appearance
and 21
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W.P.No.856 of 2021
For the Respondents 20, 22 : Not ready in notice
to 26
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Mr. Justice P.D.AUDIKESAVALU) We have heard Mr. G.Devarajan, Party-in-Person, Mr. R.Shunmugasundaram, Learned Advocate General assisted by Mrs. R.Anitha, Learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the First, Second and Sixth to Eighth Respondents, Mr. T.Chandrasekaran, Learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the Third Respondent, Mr. A.K.Sriram, Learned Counsel appearing for the Fourth and Fifth Respondents, Mrs. Karthika Ashok, Learned Counsel for the Ninth to Eleventh Respondents, Mr. L.Jaivenkatesh, Learned Counsel for the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Respondents, Mr. Yogesh Kannadasan, Learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the the Seventeenth Respondent and Mr. A.M.Venkatakrishnan, Learned Counsel for the Eighteenth Respondent and perused the materials placed on record, apart from the pleadings of the parties.
2. Though notice had been served on the Fifth, Ninteenth and ___________ Page 6 of 16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.856 of 2021 Twenty First Respondents, they have not entered appearance either in person or through Counsel. Though notice had been ordered to the Twentieth and Twenty Second to Twenty Sixth Respondents, service has not been completed. In view of the order proposed to be passed, which would not cause any prejudice to the said Respondents, notice to them is dispensed with.
3. The Writ Petition has been filed for directing the First to Fifth Respondents to consider and dispose the representations made by the Petitioner on 24.02.2020, 29.02.2020, 04.10.2020, 04.11.2020 and 11.11.2020 and for directing the Sixth, Eighth, Eleventh, Fourteenth and Sixteenth Respondents to conduct survey and to evict all type of encroachments if any made on water bodies as ponds and temple land which belonging to the Arulmigu Anandheeswarar Temple, Thulasingam Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011 (TM042419) and Arulmigu Palani Andhaver Temple, Muniappa Naiker Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011, Chennai District, Perambur Taluk (TM0002321) as (a) Block No. 0046, Survey No. 802/0 measuring an extent of Hectare/Area/Sq.Meter 0-5.33.5 Ares, (b) Block No. 0046, Survey No. 804/0 measuring an extent of ___________ Page 7 of 16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.856 of 2021 Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-12.46.5 Ares, (c) Block No. 0046, Sruvey No. 834/1 measuring an extent of Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-22.25.5,
(d) Block No. 0046, Survey No. 835/1 measuring an extent of Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-24.12.5, (e) Block No. 0046, Survey No. 837/1 meausring an extent of Hectare/Ares/Sq.Meter 0-0.8.5 and that the superstructures put upon by them are authorized/unauthorized/deviated, necessary and immediate steps shall be taken in accordance with law to demolish the offending constructions and disconnection of electricity supply as well as water and sewerage connection.
4. Having regard to the contentions raised by the Petitioner, the Writ Petition is disposed on the following terms:-
(i) the concerned authority after issuing due notice to the Petitioner, the Eighteenth to Twenty Sixth Respondents and the persons concerned, shall immediately inspect the lands mentioned by the Petitioner so as to ascertain as to whether it is a water body or land belonging to the aforesaid Temple as claimed by him and if so, to demarcate its boundaries by 15.02.2022;
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(ii) if it has been found that there are any encroachments in that water body or land belonging to the aforesaid Temple, immediate action for their removal shall be taken following the prescribed procedure under Section 78 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, or any other applicable law, as the case may be;
(iii) the report of compliance of action taken in that regard along with FMB sketch and photographs taken before and after the removal of encroachments shall be peremptorily filed before the Registrar (Judicial) of this Court by 31.03.2022;
(iv) in order to safeguard the water body and avert anymore encroachments in future, the directions issued by this Court in the order dated 27.01.2022 in W.P. (MD) No. 22163 of 2018 etc., batch shall be scrupulously followed; and
(v) the parties shall bear their respective costs.
(M.N.B., ACJ.) (P.D.A., J.) 27.01.2022 Index : Yes/No vjt Note: If compliance report is not filed by ___________ Page 9 of 16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.856 of 2021 31.03.2022, the matter shall be listed before the Court thereafter. ___________ Page 10 of 16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.856 of 2021 To:
1. The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Hindu Religious Endowments Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 600 009.
2. The District Collector, 62, IV Floor, Rajaji Salai, Chennai – 600 001.
3. The Commissioner, Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department, 119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034.
4. The Executive Officer, Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department, Arulmigu Anandheeswarar Temple (TM042419), Thulasingam Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
5. The Executive Officer, Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department, Arulmigu Palani Andhaver Temple (TM000231), Muniyappa Naikar Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
6. The Tahsildar, Perambur Taluk Office, Perambur High Road, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
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7. The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Police, Commissioner Office, Vepery, Chennai – 600 007.
8. The Inspector of Police, K9, Sembium Police Station (Law and Order), Sembium, Chennai – 600 011.
9. The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai – 600 003.
10. The Zonal Officer (Zone 4), Greater Chennai Corporation, 266, Thiruvottiyur High Road, Old Washermanpet, Chennai – 600 021.
11. The Assistant Engineer (Ward 44), Greater Chennai Corporatino, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
12. The Managing Director, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Pumping Station Road, Chennai – 600 002.
13. The Area Engineer (Area IV), Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, MKB Nagar, Chennai – 600 039.
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14. The Assistant Engineer (Depot No. 44), Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewereage Board, Vadivelu II Cross, Chennai – 600 011.
15. The Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), 10th Floor, NPKRR Maaligai, 144, Anna Salai, Chennai – 600 002.
16. The Assistant Engineer (Perambur), Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited, Paper Mills Lane, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
17. The Inspector General of Registration, 100, Santhome High Road, Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai – 600 028.
Copy to
1. M/s. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., Rep. by its Manager, Circle Office at A1 Towers, 89/91, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004.
2. Lion. G.Devarajan, S/o. (late) J. Gopalakrishnan, 25/12 Sathiyanarayanan Street, Sembium, Chennai – 600 011.
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3. Kalaivani, 17A, New 23, Thulasingam 2nd Lane, Perambur, Chennai - 600 011.
4. Kamalakannan, 33, Kandappa Pillai Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
5. Selvam, 46, Kandappa Pillai Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
6. Sarajini, 52, Kandappa Pillai Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
7. Sivaramakrishnan, 5, Kandappa Pillai Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
8. Paranthaman, 29, Muniyappa Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
9. Suresh Solomon, 134/13, Thulasingam Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
10. P.V. Mohanamani, 134/13, Thulasingam Street, Perambur, Chennai – 600 011.
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11. The Registrar (Judicial), Madras High Court, Chennai – 600 104.
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vjt W.P.No. 856 of 2021 Reserved on : 16.12.2021 Pronounced on : 27.01.2022 ___________ Page 16 of 16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis