CHENNAI: Refusing to grant any interim stay on the construction of a medical college hospital in Ooty over alleged environmental violations, a division bench of the Madras High Court directed the state to explore the possibility of utilising the existing buildings of the now-defunct Hindustan Photo Films in Ooty for hostel and other facilities instead of constructing new buildings. The court, however, restrained the state from felling trees in the 320-acre land allotted for the hospital, till further orders.
Appearing for the state, advocate-general Vijay Narayan submitted that the government medical college hospital was a long-pending demand from the residents of Ooty which cannot be delayed any further. The bench asked the state to explore the possibility of using existing buildings, and adjourned the plea to three weeks.