MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Rameswaram municipality commissioner to physically appear before the court for a hearing on steps taken over the years to regulate the flow of sewage water into the ocean.
According to the petitioner Elephant G Rajendran, the Agni Theertham is located in the Bay of Bengal, abutting the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram and thousands of devotees bathe in these holy waters. However, the roads and 'padithurai' leading to the Agni Theertham are in a pathetic state. Municipality officials also failed to maintain the town's sewage system, leading to sewage water getting discharged into the sea near the Agni Theertham, the petitioner said.
A bench of Justices MS Ramesh and AD Maria Clete, during the last hearing, directed the authorities to file a counter affidavit. When the case came up for hearing, the counsel, based on instructions from the commissioner, sought further time to file the affidavit.
The judges said they were not happy with the manner in which very serious allegations made against the municipality had been dealt with.
"We have also taken into account photographs produced before us, which may substantiate the averments made in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition that sewage water is being released into the ocean, and the sorry state of affairs to regulate such practices," the court remarked.
Further, the court said Rameshwaram municipality commissioner must be physically present before the court during the next hearing, along with an affidavit on the measures taken to regulate the flow of sewage water into the ocean.
Since the issue touches upon the health and safety of people, the court said the principal secretary of municipal administration and water supply department should also be informed of the day-to-day developments of the case. The court also impleaded the principal secretary as a respondent in the case.