The Madras High Court pulled up the Chennai municipal corporation on Tuesday with the city grappling with rains and floods for the last 4 days.
Taking the civic body to task, the court asked what it had been doing since the 2015 floods, the worst the city had experienced in a century.
The Madras High Court said it was a pity that half the year residents long for water and rest of the year they are flooded or die in water.
Also watch: Rains continue in Tamil Nadu, rescue and rehabilitation work underway
The court has warned that it would take up the matter on its own if the situation does not improve by Friday or Saturday.
The court made these observations while hearing a plea for clearing of encroachments.