Plea to repair dilapidated buildings in SC habitations

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday directed the State to file a counter affidavit to a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to authorities to repair dilapidated buildings in Scheduled Caste habitations.

While hearing the petition filed by K. Muruganandam of Pudukkottai district, a Division Bench of Justices P. Velmurugan and R. Poornima issued the direction. The petitioner is the district coordinator of Neelam Panpattu Maiyam in Pudukkottai district.

He said the issue concerned basic facilities such as safe houses, roads, access to burial and cremation grounds, drinking water facilities, sanitation, community halls, anganwadi buildings, health facilities, libraries and other public assets serving the SC habitations.

The damaged houses, roads, overhead tanks, sanitation facilities and public buildings affected the residents. The government’s own survey records showed that several deficiencies required attention, he said.

He said the Constitution required the State to take special care for the advancement of the weaker sections. Article 46 of the Constitution required the State to promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections and to protect them from social injustice and exploitation. Article 21 of the Constitution protected the right to live with dignity.

The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities concerned to identify and repair damaged infrastructure and other public buildings in SC habitations in Ramanathapuram, Theni, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tenkasi and Dindigul districts. The court posted the matter for hearing to November 6.