We are made to cry for water and die in water: Madras HC to Chennai Corporation

The Madras High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Greater Chennai Corporation for its failure to take adequate measures to prevent inundation in the city during heavy rains, saying “For half of the year we are made to cry for water, and for another half we are made to die in water.”

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu wondered as to what the authorities were doing for the past five years after 2015 floods, also warning of initiating suo motu proceedings if the situation was not brought under control.

The court made the observations while hearing a PIL seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to maintain adequate width of public roads in the state.


While hearing another PIL alleging encroachment of waterbodies, the court said that the ongoing rains and floods in Chennai and around should serve as a lesson for government officials.