Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Tribunal on its own motion Vs The Principal Secretary, Environment & Forests, Govt. of Tamil Nadu & Others dated 07/01/2019 regarding encroachments of waterbodies in Chennai. The Court has been informed that due to rapid urbanisation in Chennai, the waterways in Chennai have become a prime target for growth of encroachments along the water bodies and hence during flood, the encroached areas near the banks have become more vulnerable and susceptible for inundation.

Tribunal directs the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board to submit a time bound action plan regarding the manner in which encroachment is going to be evicted, for taking necessary action against the polluter who are polluting the water bodies and time required for rehabilitating the encroachers as the part of the policy of the Government and time within which the beautification programme envisaged by the Government can be implemented without which the same can be done in an effective manner. The action plan has to be submitted within a period of one month.