The Federal: Tamilnadu: Friday, 30 May 2025.
RTI activist alleges that the government is withholding encroacher details, casting doubts on transparency and accountability in tackling Kancheepuram’s persistent encroachment issues
With the Southwest monsoon having already started in
Tamil Nadu, as confirmed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on May
22, marking its earliest onset since 2010, Kanchipuram district is gearing up
for a potentially intense rainy season.
The IMD reported that Tamil Nadu received 192.7 mm of rainfall between March 1 and April 19, nearly 90 per cent above the average of 101.4 mm, signalling a wetter-thanusual year. With the Northeast monsoon, the region's primary rainy season, just three months away, expected to commence around mid-October, the district faces heightened risks of flooding, a recurring issue that has plagued the area in recent years.
Natural and human factors:
Kanchipuram’s flood situation has historically been exacerbated by both natural and human factors. The district, part of the Palar River Sub-Basin, has faced severe inundation during past monsoons. A 2021 report highlighted the devastating impact of the Northeast Monsoon, where Kancheepuram recorded rainfall 183 per cent above average, contributing to widespread flooding across Tamil Nadu that displaced thousands and claimed at least 14 lives. The 2015 South India floods were particularly catastrophic, with Kanchipuram among the hardest-hit areas, registering 181.5 cm of rainfall against an average of 64 cm for the October-December period. Over 55,000 people sought refuge in 237 relief camps, and the Indian Armed Forces conducted extensive rescue operations, air-dropping supplies and evacuating stranded residents.
Meanwhile, a recent Water Resources Department report from April 30, underscores ongoing challenges. Of the 381 tanks in Kanchipuram’s Lower Palar division, 105 remain encroached, with 5,799 encroachments identified across 11 water bodies. Only 502.71 hectares of encroachments have been cleared, leaving 376.22 hectares still occupied, alongside 5,314 encroachments spanning 126.49 hectares yet to be addressed. This encroachment, coupled with inadequate drainage infrastructure, has historically worsened flooding. For instance, during the 2023 Northeast Monsoon, southern Tamil Nadu districts like Tirunelveli saw record-breaking rainfall of 123.9 cm, 146 per cent above average, leading to severe flooding a pattern Kanchipuram could face given its vulnerabilities.
Climate change has intensified these risks, with experts noting that warmer oceans and atmospheres, as seen in the northern Indian Ocean a identified climate change hotspot lead to more intense rainfall. The 2024 Northeast Monsoon brought heavy rains to Chennai and neighbouring districts, including Kanchipuram, with the IMD issuing red alerts and schools closing for days. Cyclone Michaung in December 2023 further strained the region, with Kancheepuram recording over 24 cm of rainfall in 24 hours, prompting the Water Resources Department to release surplus water from reservoirs like Chembarambakkam and Poondi, which risked downstream flooding.
What RTI response reveals:
Social activist M Kasimayan has accused the Tamil Nadu government of significant delays and incomplete disclosures in responding to his 2021 Right to Information (RTI) petition regarding lake encroachments in Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu districts. Kasimayan claims that after a four-year wait, the Public Information Officer (PIO) provided data only for Kanchipuram district, omitting details for Chengalpattu, and even then, the information was incomplete.
The RTI response, received recently, revealed that out of 381 tanks in Kanchipuram’s Lower Palar division, 105 remain encroached, with 5,799 encroachments identified across 11 water bodies. So far, 502.71 hectares have been cleared, but 376.22 hectares of encroachments persist, and 5,314 encroachments spanning 126.49 hectares are yet to be addressed. Kasimayan has alleged that the government has failed to disclose the full list of encroachers and has taken no significant action against them, calling it a clear case of misgovernance.
“No action has been taken against 65 per cent of encroachments yet. The government is shielding the main violators,” he stated, suspecting that encroachers may have influenced the system to avoid action.
CM Stalin stresses on proactive measures:
Kasimayan further criticised the government’s flood management, noting that with the Southwest Monsoon already underway and the Northeast Monsoon just three months away, Kanchipuram remains vulnerable to flooding. Historically, the district has faced severe inundation, such as during the 2015 South India floods, when it recorded 181.5 cm of rainfall against an average of 64 cm, displacing over 55,000 people. More recently, Cyclone Michaung in December 2023 brought over 24 cm of rain in 24 hours, exacerbating flood risks. Kasimayan accused the government of appointing senior IAS officers during floods for mere “namesake,” with no stringent action against encroachers afterward. “When flooding occurs, they make a show of appointing an IAS officer, but nothing happens no real action against the main violators,” he said.
Chief Minister MK Stalin has emphasised proactive measures, directing officials on May 20 to prepare for potential flash floods and landslides, particularly in vulnerable areas. With the Southwest Monsoon already active and the Northeast Monsoon approaching, Kanchipuram’s administration must accelerate encroachment evictions, improve drainage systems, and ensure relief centres are ready to mitigate the district’s long-standing flood risks.
RTI activist alleges that the government is withholding encroacher details, casting doubts on transparency and accountability in tackling Kancheepuram’s persistent encroachment issues
The IMD reported that Tamil Nadu received 192.7 mm of rainfall between March 1 and April 19, nearly 90 per cent above the average of 101.4 mm, signalling a wetter-thanusual year. With the Northeast monsoon, the region's primary rainy season, just three months away, expected to commence around mid-October, the district faces heightened risks of flooding, a recurring issue that has plagued the area in recent years.
Natural and human factors:
Kanchipuram’s flood situation has historically been exacerbated by both natural and human factors. The district, part of the Palar River Sub-Basin, has faced severe inundation during past monsoons. A 2021 report highlighted the devastating impact of the Northeast Monsoon, where Kancheepuram recorded rainfall 183 per cent above average, contributing to widespread flooding across Tamil Nadu that displaced thousands and claimed at least 14 lives. The 2015 South India floods were particularly catastrophic, with Kanchipuram among the hardest-hit areas, registering 181.5 cm of rainfall against an average of 64 cm for the October-December period. Over 55,000 people sought refuge in 237 relief camps, and the Indian Armed Forces conducted extensive rescue operations, air-dropping supplies and evacuating stranded residents.
Meanwhile, a recent Water Resources Department report from April 30, underscores ongoing challenges. Of the 381 tanks in Kanchipuram’s Lower Palar division, 105 remain encroached, with 5,799 encroachments identified across 11 water bodies. Only 502.71 hectares of encroachments have been cleared, leaving 376.22 hectares still occupied, alongside 5,314 encroachments spanning 126.49 hectares yet to be addressed. This encroachment, coupled with inadequate drainage infrastructure, has historically worsened flooding. For instance, during the 2023 Northeast Monsoon, southern Tamil Nadu districts like Tirunelveli saw record-breaking rainfall of 123.9 cm, 146 per cent above average, leading to severe flooding a pattern Kanchipuram could face given its vulnerabilities.
Climate change has intensified these risks, with experts noting that warmer oceans and atmospheres, as seen in the northern Indian Ocean a identified climate change hotspot lead to more intense rainfall. The 2024 Northeast Monsoon brought heavy rains to Chennai and neighbouring districts, including Kanchipuram, with the IMD issuing red alerts and schools closing for days. Cyclone Michaung in December 2023 further strained the region, with Kancheepuram recording over 24 cm of rainfall in 24 hours, prompting the Water Resources Department to release surplus water from reservoirs like Chembarambakkam and Poondi, which risked downstream flooding.
What RTI response reveals:
Social activist M Kasimayan has accused the Tamil Nadu government of significant delays and incomplete disclosures in responding to his 2021 Right to Information (RTI) petition regarding lake encroachments in Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu districts. Kasimayan claims that after a four-year wait, the Public Information Officer (PIO) provided data only for Kanchipuram district, omitting details for Chengalpattu, and even then, the information was incomplete.
The RTI response, received recently, revealed that out of 381 tanks in Kanchipuram’s Lower Palar division, 105 remain encroached, with 5,799 encroachments identified across 11 water bodies. So far, 502.71 hectares have been cleared, but 376.22 hectares of encroachments persist, and 5,314 encroachments spanning 126.49 hectares are yet to be addressed. Kasimayan has alleged that the government has failed to disclose the full list of encroachers and has taken no significant action against them, calling it a clear case of misgovernance.
“No action has been taken against 65 per cent of encroachments yet. The government is shielding the main violators,” he stated, suspecting that encroachers may have influenced the system to avoid action.
CM Stalin stresses on proactive measures:
Kasimayan further criticised the government’s flood management, noting that with the Southwest Monsoon already underway and the Northeast Monsoon just three months away, Kanchipuram remains vulnerable to flooding. Historically, the district has faced severe inundation, such as during the 2015 South India floods, when it recorded 181.5 cm of rainfall against an average of 64 cm, displacing over 55,000 people. More recently, Cyclone Michaung in December 2023 brought over 24 cm of rain in 24 hours, exacerbating flood risks. Kasimayan accused the government of appointing senior IAS officers during floods for mere “namesake,” with no stringent action against encroachers afterward. “When flooding occurs, they make a show of appointing an IAS officer, but nothing happens no real action against the main violators,” he said.
Chief Minister MK Stalin has emphasised proactive measures, directing officials on May 20 to prepare for potential flash floods and landslides, particularly in vulnerable areas. With the Southwest Monsoon already active and the Northeast Monsoon approaching, Kanchipuram’s administration must accelerate encroachment evictions, improve drainage systems, and ensure relief centres are ready to mitigate the district’s long-standing flood risks.
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