G.O.(Ms) No.64, Committees for Encroachments in Water Bodies and Other Government Lands, 2022
The Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, LD.6(2) Section issued Government Order G.O.(Ms) No.64 dated 8 February 2022, superseding all existing committees concerned with encroachments on water bodies and other Government lands. It creates new monitoring committees at divisional, district and State levels to identify and enumerate encroachments, oversee eviction action and monitor compliance with court orders.
What the Government Order governs
Government Order G.O.(Ms) No.64 dated 8 February 2022 establishes a single reporting and monitoring structure for encroachments on water bodies and other Government lands. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, LD.6(2) Section replaced the earlier Taluk, divisional, district and State level committee arrangements with three new committees.
The framework gives priority to water bodies. It covers the identification and enumeration of encroachments, reporting, preparation of eviction plans, monitoring of action and review of compliance with court orders.
Divisional Monitoring Committee
The Divisional Monitoring Committee is chaired and convened by the Revenue Divisional Officer. Its members include police officers, Municipal Commissioners, all Tahsildars and officers from the Water Resources, Highways, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and Survey departments.
Key responsibilities are:
- Identify and enumerate encroachments.
- Report objectionable and unobjectionable encroachments by category.
- Monitor action taken against encroachments at Taluk level.
- Meet once every month.
District Monitoring Committee
The District Monitoring Committee is chaired by the District Collector, with the District Revenue Officer as convenor. Members include police, local body, Water Resources, Highways, rural development, town panchayat, survey and revenue officials.
The committee must:
- Prepare a district action plan for enumeration and eviction of encroachments on Government lands.
- Give priority to water bodies.
- Monitor progress and report to the Commissioner of Land Administration.
- Meet monthly on the date of the District Revenue Administration Meeting or Law and Order Meeting.
State Steering Committee
The State Steering Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary to Government, with the Commissioner of Land Administration as convenor. Its membership includes senior officials from the relevant Government departments, police, local administration, highways, water resources, survey and settlement, and the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board.
The committee reviews overall eviction progress and compliance with court orders concerning water bodies and other highly objectionable porambokes. It meets monthly, with issues taken up along with the meeting of all Secretaries.
Eviction action
Government Order G.O.(Ms) No.64 directs Taluk Tahsildars and field officers of departments such as Water Resources and Highways to begin eviction processes after identifying encroachments on objectionable Government lands, giving priority to water bodies. Evictions must follow the relevant Acts and the procedures prescribed under them. A detailed reporting format is to be issued separately by the Revenue Department.
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Common questions
Does G.O.(Ms) No.64 replace the earlier encroachment committees?
Yes. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department constituted the three new committees in supersession of all existing committees concerned with monitoring encroachments on water bodies and other Government lands.
Who identifies and monitors encroachments at the local level?
The Divisional Monitoring Committee identifies, enumerates and reports encroachments and monitors action at Taluk level. Taluk Tahsildars and field officers of the relevant departments must initiate the eviction process after identifying encroachments on objectionable Government lands.
Are water body encroachments given special priority?
Yes. District action plans and field level eviction work must give priority to water bodies, and the State Steering Committee monitors court compliance concerning water bodies and other highly objectionable porambokes.
How often do the monitoring committees meet?
The divisional, district and State committees meet once a month. The district meeting is held on the date of the District Revenue Administration Meeting or Law and Order Meeting, while State level issues are discussed along with the meeting of all Secretaries.
