Mohamed Imranullah S. MADURAI: The need to preserve water bodies would gain priority over the right of the landless poor to housing if there was a conflict between these two social issues, the Madras High Court Bench here observed. Justices D. Murugesan and S. Nagamuthu made the observation while disposing of a batch of cases with a direction to the Dindigul Collector to evict over 500 families living for over two decades on Sirunaickankulam water tank in Palani Municipality.