MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday, ordered interim injunction restraining the authorities of Thanjavur district from using the land where the Mahatma Gandhi Tuberculosis Sanatorium is situated, for any other purposes.
According to litigant A Devadoss, who is the district general secretary of Tamil Nadu Pothu Vudamai Iyakkam, the sanatorium was established on a 488-acre land in Sengipatti village in 1951. While the Tuberculosis Government Hospital in Thoppur established in 1960 continues to be well maintained, the sanatorium has become dilapidated.
The staff has also been reduced since 1990. Presently, the hospital has only 54 beds. Many tuberculosis patients are forced to go to Thanjavur Government Medical College Hospital, which could increase the risk of infection to other patients at the hospital, the litigant stated.
He added that of the 488 acres, 268 acres have been acquired by the government over the years for various purposes including a gas storage depot, SIDCO, a government engineering college and a food processing park. Alleging that authorities are trying to acquire the remaining land for a SIPCOT project, he said that if the remaining land was also acquired it would be impossible to treat patients in the sanatorium, and sought court intervention. He also sought directions to renovate the hospital and provide the necessary manpower and equipment for effective functioning.
A bench comprising Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri, which heard the matter, opined that the apprehension of the petitioner was justified and ordered an interim injunction restraining authorities from transferring any portion of the land standing in the name of the institution until further orders.
