Chennai: The Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government not to prevent protests highlighting the water woes in the state and said it should work with organisations interested in conservation of water bodies to address the situation. Justice N Anand Venkatesh made the observation while directing the Chennai Commissioner of Police to permit Arappor Iyakkam, an NGO, to hold a demonstration highlighting the present water crisis in the city and the causes for it on June 30 near Valluvarkottam here.
On June 20, the commissioner of police had rejected the NGO's application seeking permission for the protest on grounds that another organisation had sought permission on the very same day and that it would unnecessarily cause a law and order problem. Aggrieved, the petitioner approached the high court. Several parts of Tamil Nadu, especially the state capital, have been reeling under severe water shortage since last month owing to poor storage in various reservoirs following deficit rainfall.