The Tamil Nadu government on Friday told the Madras High Court that it will not be issuing ‘patta’ for those who have encroachments upon water bodies.

This came in response to Madras High Court’s warning to the Tamil Nadu government, saying it will quash government’s notification on regularizing encroachments.

According to an affidavit presented by the revenue department before the court, "The state is scrupulously following the judgment of the apex court and the high court in the protection of water-course porombokes, and maintaining ecological balance is a prime concern. The question of issuing `pattas' or regularisation of encroachments on `kulam,' `kuttai,' `odai,' channel and catchment areas, does not arise," as reported in Times of India.

The court had warned to quash the government notification as the state on December 15, 2015 had filed an affidavit stating its modified stand on regularising encroachments on water bodies or issuing ‘patta’ to people encroaching on water bodies for a certain number of years.

A Sheik Alaudin, deputy secretary of revenue department filed an affidavit claiming that the government was keeping its promise and not granting ‘pattas’ on water bodies. He claimed that the government order on January 23, 2008 was to regularize other porombokes and not the ones on water bodies.

The high court disposed the PIL filed by Sivakasi Vattara Vari Seluthuor Sangam on the issue.