HC grants time to authorities to repair damaged sluice gate at an irrigation tank in Sattur

Madurai High Court grants time till December 30 for repair of damaged sluice gate in Sattur irrigation tank.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has granted time till December 30 to the authorities to repair a damaged sluice gate of an irrigation tank in Sattur in Virudhunagar district.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by K. Muthu Krishnan of Virudhunagar district. The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to take action to rectify the damaged second sluice gate of an irrigation tank at Periakollapatti in Sattur.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice K. R. Shriram and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq observed that only in 2020-21, ₹47 lakh was allotted under the Kudimaramathu scheme to maintain the tank. It was said that within a few months, the tank and the second sluice gate were damaged. This affected cultivation and despite repeated complaints to the authorities, no action had been taken.

The State sought time till December 30 to carry out the repair works. The court observed that the statement was accepted as an undertaking by the Secretary of Water Resources Department, Virudhunagar Collector, the Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department, Virudhunagar District, Sattur Tahsildar and Sattur Block Development Officer.

The petitioner had alleged that since December, 2023, he had been complaining about the damaged second sluice gate. It will not be out of place to state that in view of ensuing monsoon, if any damage happens to property or life due to not repairing the second sluice gate or poor maintenance of the tank each of the five respondents shall be personally held liable, the court said.