Letter No. 56291/C1/2025, Protection of Water Bodies
The Inspector General of Registration, Registration Department, issued Letter No. 56291/C1/2025 dated 5 March 2026, directing registration officers to follow the Commissioner of Land Administration's instructions protecting lands classified as water bodies. Documents relating to such lands must not be registered, and registration officers must verify that the relevant survey numbers are included in the Prohibited Module.
What the letter does
The Registration Department's Letter No. 56291/C1/2025 dated 5 March 2026 circulates water body protection instructions issued by the Commissioner of Land Administration in Letter No. T4/12281866/2025 dated 26 November 2025. The instructions arose from the Madras High Court judgment dated 8 October 2025 in Writ Petition No. 29422 of 2025.
All Deputy Inspectors General of Registration, District Registrars and Sub Registrars are addressed. Every Sub Registrar is required to follow the circular without fail and acknowledge its receipt through the departmental chain.
Registration consequences
The Commissioner of Land Administration's instructions state that registration of documents relating to lands classified as water bodies is strictly prohibited. Registration officers are also directed to check whether survey numbers connected with water bodies have been entered in the Prohibited Module.
For a buyer, owner or professional dealing with land, the recorded classification and survey number are therefore important. A document concerning land classified as a water body cannot be registered under these instructions.
Wider protections for water bodies
The Commissioner of Land Administration directed district authorities to scrutinise compliance under the chairmanship of the District Collector. Key instructions include:
- Prepare a list of public buildings on lands classified as water bodies.
- Do not approve construction, reconstruction or repair on such lands.
- Do not provide electricity service, water connection, property tax assessment, plan approval or layout approval for structures on such lands.
- Identify suitable alternative land and relocate public buildings currently situated on water body land.
- Remove encroachments by following the relevant Acts.
- Keep classification extracts, inspection notes and photographs.
- Initiate disciplinary action and monetary recovery against officers responsible for unauthorised construction or services.
Treatment of existing occupation
The Commissioner of Land Administration states that regularisation of an encroachment on land classified as a water body cannot involve changing that classification. Only relocation of the encroachers to other unobjectionable poramboke land is permissible.
The existence of a Government or public building within a water body does not justify other occupation. The instructions require public buildings on such land to be identified for relocation and treat delay or non-compliance as a violation of court orders.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Can I register a sale document for land classified as a water body?
No. The Commissioner of Land Administration's instructions state that registration of documents relating to lands classified as water bodies is strictly prohibited.
What must a Sub Registrar check before dealing with water body land?
The Registration Department directs officers to verify whether survey numbers relating to water bodies have been entered in the Prohibited Module.
Can an existing water body encroachment be regularised by changing the land classification?
No. The instructions state that the water body classification must not be altered. Only relocation of encroachers to other unobjectionable poramboke land is permissible.
Does an existing Government building make further construction on water body land permissible?
No. The instructions prohibit construction, reconstruction and repair on lands classified as water bodies, and require existing public buildings to be identified for relocation to suitable alternative land.
