KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the government to complete the work of 36 houses to rehabilitate endosulfan victims at Enmagaje panchayat in Kasaragod by October 15 so that all families can be in the safety of a comfortable home.
“One cannot be oblivious to the stark reality that the victims and their families are living in great difficulty, even in rented houses,” said Justice Devan Ramachandran. The court issued the order on a petition filed by K N Ananthakumar, founder and executive director of Sri Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust Kerala, stating that out of the 81 houses constructed, many have become dilapidated and that nearly Rs 24 lakh will be required to restore them now.
Inbasekar K, district collector, Kasaragod, appeared online and informed the court that steps were being taken to ensure that the 36 families identified as beneficiaries are given their houses at the earliest.
The court said that it could not allow any further delay in handing over the houses built several years ago for the families of endosulfan victims. Hence, steps have to be taken quickly to accommodate the beneficiaries in the available houses. The tragedy is that even after the houses are ready, there were impediments in the past in putting them to use. Even after all impediments have been resolved, the houses are yet to be handed over to beneficiaries, the court said.
GREESHMA GETS BAIL IN SHARON MURDER CASE
Kochi: The HC has granted bail to Greeshma alias Sreekutty, first accused in the Sharon Raj murder case. Sharon Raj, 23, of Thiruvananthapuram, was allegedly poisoned and killed by Greeshma. While granting bail, the court observed that she has been in custody since October 31, 2022, and the prosecution raised no apprehension that if released on bail, she is likely to abscond.
FAKE NDPS CASE: NO ARREST FOR LIVIYA
Kochi: The HC has directed the assistant excise commissioner, excise Crime Branch, Ernakulam, not to arrest Liviya Jose, of Thrissur, a suspect in an NDPS case, till October 3. Her relative, Sheela Sunny, was previously exonerated in the case. Sheela was taken into custody for allegedly possessing ‘LSD stamps’ that were reportedly found in her bag kept in her two-wheeler. The court issued the order on the petition filed by Liviya seeking anticipatory bail.
4 TANUR DRUG CASE ACCUSED GET BAIL
Kochi: The HC has granted bail to four persons who were arrested and remanded in judicial custody in connection with the drug seizure at Tanur in Malappuram. The first accused, Tamir Jifri, died in police custody. The accused who got bail are Mansoor, Abid, Jabeer and Muhammed K T. They said they were innocent and were falsely implicated. They said this was a case in which the first accused died in police custody.