CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has warned of summoning the Chief Secretary if the court’s orders on improving the infrastructure and livelihood of the tribal community dwelling in Kalvarayan hills are not complied with.
While hearing a suo motu case on improving the infrastructure and livelihood of the dwellers of Kalvarayan hills on Thursday, a division bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and N Mala asked the authorities of the state government to expedite steps for providing the ration and Aadhaar cards for the poor tribal people.
Referring to the submission of the government that three months of time is required to complete the exercise of issuing cards to more than 2,000 applicants, who applied during the special camps held as per the directions of the court, the bench questioned the rationale behind seeking such a long time. “We don’t want reports to be filed on the matter. We want ration cards and Aadhaar cards to be issued to the tribal people,” the bench said.
Calling for the chief secretary to pay special attention to the issues of the Kalvarayan hills dwellers, the bench said if the orders are not complied with, the chief secretary may be summoned to appear in the court.
The bench also directed the government to file a report on the functioning of the schools with adequate teaching staff and government healthcare facilities and the steps taken for providing road facilities and operating bus services. It adjourned the hearing by four weeks.
Meanwhile, the first bench of Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice PB Balaji reserved the orders on the PILs seeking a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch deaths. The PILs were filed by a group of people, including former AIADMK MLA IS Inbadurai and advocate A Mohandoss of BJP.
HC seeks report on 2k acres temple land sale
Chennai: A special division bench of Madras High Court consisting of Justices R Suresh Kumar and S Sounthar, on Thursday, sought HR&CE department to file a detailed report with documents on the alleged “shocking sale” of 2,000 acres of land belonging to the Chidambaram Natarajar temple to private parties.
The direction was given when a petition regarding the dipping revenue of the temple, under the control of the Podhu Dikshidars, came up for hearing.
While the Podhu Dikshidars claimed that only 1,000 acres of land, out of the actual extant 3,000 acres, is left with the temple, the HR&CE alleged that the former had sold out the remaining swaths of land.
It also alleged that the former has shown that only an income of Rs 93,000 is earned from the existing 1,000 acres of land per year. The bench adjourned the matter to October 3.