CHENNAI: The stage seems all set to wind up the commission headed by U Sagayam, an IAS officer, constituted three years ago to probe illegal mining of granite in Madurai district, with the Madras High Court directing the State government to settle the salaries due and clear all the bills, by July 31.
When an application from a former Madurai Tahsildar, who assisted the Commission, came up before the first bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar on Wednesday, Advocate-General agreed to pay Rs 20,000 per month to the retired Tahsildar from December 1, 2016, to July 31, 2017, ie Rs 1.60 lakh for eight months. This sum should be released at the earliest in any case before July 31, 2017, the judges said.
The AG also submitted that the actual expenses incurred by the Commission for the same period shall be cleared subject to submission of accounts supported by requisite bills and vouchers. This payment should also be made before July 31, 2017, the bench added.
The annexure to the report of the Commission dated November 23, 2015 and the errata dated April 1, 2016 should be handed over to the Registrar-General, who should keep the same in safe custody in a sealed box, the bench said. The main writ petitions are listed for hearing on July 31.