The Madras High Court Bench on Monday ordered notice to Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala besides other top officials, seeking security to PWD officers working at Mullaiperiyar dam, their families and also pilgrims going to the Ayyappa hill shrine at Sabrimala.
The bench, comprising Justices K. N. Basha and M. Venugopal recorded the submission of Special Government Pleader G. Mahendran that protection would be given to PWD officials and family members and Ayappa devotees till the Tamil Nadu border.
Besides Chief Secretaries of both states, the bench also ordered notice to Union secretaries of Home, environment and forests and water resources, DGP Kerala, Home secretaries of the states, Chief engineer of Water resources, Tamil Nadu, Theni district Superintendent of Police and Theni Collector.
The Additional Solicitor General took notice for the Union secretaries of Home, environment and forests and water resources.
Petitioner R. V. S. Vijayakumar, state President of PWD Senior Engineers Association contended that Intelligence Bureau reports had said illegal encroachments around the dam should be removed. After the level was reduced from 152 feet to 136 feet, 3,914 acres had fallen vacant on which buildings had been raised without state government's consent. No objection certificate had not been obtained from the forest ministry.
IB had also recommended that Central Industrial Security Force or Central Reserve Police force be deployed and also trained fire service personnel, he said, adding these should immediately be deployed at the site as a crowd had damaged a Gate of the Tamil Nadu Electricity board last week.
The petitioner also sought a direction to get all illegal encroachments removed.
The judges later posted the case for hearing to January 9.