Madras HC reserves order on conversion of sect building into hospital

Chennai: The Madras High Court today reserved orders on a petition challenging conversion of the newly built Secretariat complex into a multi speciality hospital by the AIADMK government.

Acting on a petition by a DMK advocate Veeramani, the division bench comprising Justices M Jaichandran and M Venugopal heard the Government Advocate, who had filed an affidavit on behalf of PWD Deputy Secretary and reserved its orders to March 10.

Veeramani challenged the orders of the National Green Tribunal, South Zone, which dismissed his appeal enabling the state government proceed with the conversion.

In his petition, he contended NGT has failed to note that environmental clearance given to one project cannot be changed and had erred in concluding that State Level Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) can entertain an application for amendment of conditions already granted in Environmental Clearance(EC).

Even assuming it is an amendment,it could only be for the existing project for which EC was granted and a fresh EC cannot be granted for a different project under the guise of amendment, he contended. Raising several other grounds against NGT's order enabling government to change the secretariat complex into multi speciality hospital, the petitioner sought a stay on the order.

He also prayed for constitution of an independent experts committee to find out the suitability of the subject building in terms of physical and legal requirement of establishing a multi-super speciality Hospital.

When the matter was taken up today, a counter was filed by the Deputy Secretary PWD, saying it has complied with NGT's directions and conditions. The Division Bench then posted the matter for orders on March 10.