KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Alappuzha police to provide adequate and effective protection for the construction of additional buildings of a school, owned by Mata Amritanandamayi Math, at Poomthoppu .The court issued the interim order on a petition filed by Mata Amritanandamayi Math general secretary Swami Poornamritananda Puri. According to the petitioner, the Math owns and manages a CBSE higher secondary school named St Mary’s Residential Central School at Poomthoppu in Alappuzha. A permit for constructing additional school buildings in the property having an extent of 134.49 ares (3.32 acres) was obtained by the Math.
A group of persons, including some anti-social elements in the locality, under the leadership of union leaders, including those belonging to INTUC, BMS, AITUC, CITU and UTUC, forcefully obstructed the construction work of the school building on October 7. The group reached the main entrance of the construction site and prevented the ingress and egress of workers and vehicles and also tried to damage the construction materials. The unions were demanding loading and unloading work at the site and they demanded exorbitant rates.
Ashram inmates render their services without any monetary benefits as they consider it as ‘seva’ for noble activities conducted by the Math. The Kerala Investment Promotion and Facilitation Ordinance, 2017, stated no employer is under obligation to engage headload workers for work connected with any establishment.The union members again assembled in front of the school building on November 16 and they abused the staff, ashram inmates and workers. Though a complaint was filed before the police, no step has been taken to ensure protection for the work, the plea stated.
Obstruction of work
The Mata Amritanandamayi Math functionary petitioned for the police protection alleging a group of persons, including some anti-social elements in the locality, under the leadership of union leaders obstructed the construction work of its school’s additional buildings in Alappuzha on Oct 7.