Nilgiris Stream Dumping: Horticulture Dept. Landowners Under Probe for Illegal Boulders
Revenue and Forest Departments are investigating landowners in Nilgiris for illegally dumping boulders into a stream feeding Geddai Dam. The action potentially endangers local residents and structures.
Key takeaways
- Landowners in Nilgiris are under investigation for allegedly dumping boulders into a stream feeding Geddai Dam.
- Permission was granted to clear boulders from agricultural land, but not to deposit them in water bodies.
- Local residents fear the dumped rocks could cause damage during heavy rainfall.
- Authorities have ordered the removal of the boulders from the stream.
Authorities in the Nilgiris district are investigating an alleged illegal dumping of boulders into a stream that feeds the Geddai Dam. The Revenue and Forest Departments are involved in the probe, which was initiated after local residents raised concerns about the potential risks posed by the dumped rocks.
The landowners in Kil Kundha had received permission from the Horticulture Department to clear boulders from their agricultural property. However, officials suspect that the landowners exceeded the scope of this permission, dumping at least two loads of excavated boulders into the stream that originates from Thaishola Estate.
Residents expressed fears that the loose rocks, currently in the dry riverbed, could be dislodged by heavy rains. Such displacement could endanger nearby residents and surrounding structures.
Forest Department officials confirmed that the stream is located on revenue land and that an inspection had taken place. The landowners have been notified of the violation.
B. Gunavathi, Tahsildar of Kundha, stated that permission to remove boulders was granted between August 14 and August 19. Crucially, the landowners were explicitly instructed not to dispose of the rocks in streams or riverbeds. A Revenue Department team has since inspected the site and ordered the landowners to remove the boulders and relocate them to their own land.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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