Disposed¶34

K.Subramaniam v. The District collector (Monitoring Committee)

Madras HC27 Nov 2025WP(MD)/34528/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Odai/stream survey mandamus; encroachment removal and restoration of watercourse poramboke; 7-kilometre stream from Chathirapatti Karunkulam through Sy.Nos. 48-247, T.Pudhukottai Village, Oddenchatram Taluk, Dindigul District; official respondents' undertaking to survey within six months; prior identical writ W.P.(MD)No.15377 of 2021 directions unimplemented; contempt limitation point; Article 226 Constitution of India; PWD Water Resources Nankanjiyaru Basin Division; disposed of, no costs.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition disposed of, recording the official respondents' undertaking to complete the survey of the petition-mentioned odai within six months; no costs awarded. ¶34

K.Subramaniam Vs The District collector (Monitoring… — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of, recording the official respondents' undertaking to complete the survey of the petition-mentioned odai within six months; no costs awarded.

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Issue for consideration

Whether the Court should issue a Writ of Mandamus directing Respondents 1 to 6 to conduct a survey of the entire Odai (Stream) promboke running approximately 7 kilometres from Chathirapatti Karunkulam through the specified survey numbers in T.Pudhukottai Village, Oddenchatram Taluk, Dindigul District, and to remove encroachments and restore the Odai.

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Court's answer

The petitioner had already filed W.P.(MD)No.15377 of 2021 for the very same relief, but notwithstanding the directions given by this Court nothing is said to have transpired; the petitioner did not probably file a contempt petition in view of the lapse of limitation period.

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Ratio / Principle

The official respondents undertake to complete the exercise of survey of the petition mentioned odai within a period of six months.

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Key takeaways

Recording the official respondents' undertaking, this writ petition is disposed of.ratio¶34

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (Madurai Bench of Madras High Court), disposed of by the Division Bench of G.R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi, JJ. on 27.11.2025. Filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petition sought a Writ of Mandamus directing Respondents 1 to 6 (District Collector, RDO Palani, Tahsildar Oddenchatram, and PWD (Water Resources) engineers of Dindigul District) to survey the entire Odai (Stream) promboke running about 7 kilometres from Chathirapatti Karunkulam through specified survey numbers in T.Pudhukottai Village, Oddenchatram Taluk, and to remove encroachments and restore the stream. The official respondents conceded the course and length of the odai; the petitioner asserted that encroachment had considerably narrowed its width. Noting that an earlier writ, W.P.(MD)No.15377 of 2021, for the very same relief had yielded directions that went unimplemented, the Court recorded the respondents' undertaking to complete the survey within six months and disposed of the petition without costs.

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W.P(MD)No.34528 of 2025

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BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

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DATED : 27.11.2025

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI

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W.P(MD)No.34528 of 2025

K.Subramaniam

... Petitioner

Vs.

1.The District Collector (Monitoring Committee), Dindigul District, Dindigul.

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2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Palani, Dindigul District.

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3.The Tahsildar, Oddenchatram Taluk, Dindigul District.

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4.The Superintending Engineer, Public Works Department, (Water Resources), Dindigul District.

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5.The Executive Engineer Public Works Department, (Water Resources), Nankanjiyaru Basin Division, Palani, Dindigul District.

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1/6

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P(MD)No.34528 of 2025

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6.The Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department, (Water Resources), Nankanjiyaru Basin Division, Palani, Dindigul District. ... Respondents

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Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the Respondents 1 to 6 to conduct survey of the entire Odai (Stream) promboke starts from Chathirapatti Karunkulam to the bottom of hill to the length of 7 kilo meters running through Sy.Nos.48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 56, 67, 68, 70, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 209, 210, 220, 222, 226, 237, 245, 246 and 247 situated at T.Pudhukottai Village, Oddenchatram Taluk, Dindigul District and to remove the encroachments and restore Odai (Stream) within the time stipulated by this Court.

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For Petitioner : Mr.M.R.Sreenivasan

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For Respondents : Mr.C.Venkatesh Kumar, Spl. Government Pleader.

ORDER

Heard both sides.

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P(MD)No.34528 of 2025

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2.The official respondents concede that the petition mentioned

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odai runs from Chathiraipatti Karunkulam and traverses a length of seven kilo meters through the petition mentioned survey numbers. The petitioner states that on account of encroachment, the width of the odai has been considerably narrowed. According to him, if a proper survey is conducted, the original position of the odai can be restored.

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3.No exception can be taken to the said request. It is seen that the petitioner had already filed W.P.(MD)No.15377 of 2021 for the very same relief. But unfortunately, notwithstanding the directions given by this Court, nothing is said to have transpired. The petitioner did not probably file a contempt petition in view of the lapse of limitation period.

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4.Be that as it may, the official respondents undertake to complete the exercise of survey of the petition mentioned odai within a period of six months.

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3/6

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P(MD)No.34528 of 2025

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5.Recording the said submission, this writ petition is disposed of.

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No costs.

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(G.R.S.J.,) & (B.P.J.,) 27.11.2025