Madras HC cracks whip on defacement of walls
The bench said on behalf of the petitioners, it was stated that despite what was claimed by the State, the malady has not stopped.
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the state government to inform collectors and police authorities that the government’s direction to invoke penal provision and take action the moment any defacement of natural resources and government walls is detected, has the imprimatur of the court. Any violation of the same will be on the pain of contempt, the court said.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R.Mahadevan issued the directive on PILs from Elephant G. Rajendran and ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy.
In its interim order, the court said an affidavit has been filed stating that a meeting of the committee of secretaries was held on May 27 to discuss the plan of action for monitoring the progress of removal of defacement of natural resources and government walls. A decision was stated to have been taken that laws, including Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, sho uld be strictly followed.
The information was sought to be now obta ined in specific formats from district Collectors regarding such defacements and action taken and even penal provisions would be invoked, with complaints to jurisdictional police.
Additional advocate general submitted that about three months time will be required to gather all relevant information in this behalf, so that it can be properly monitored, the Bench added.
The bench said on behalf of the petitioners, it was stated that despite what was claimed by the State, the malady has not stopped. “We have emphasised to the advocate general that it is important that while collection of information is going on, that period should not be utilised to have fresh defacements, which must be forthwith dealt with more severely.
Thus, the moment any defacement is detected, the penal provision should be invoked and collectors and police authorities should be informed that this direction issued by government has the imprimatur of the court by today’s order and thus, any violation of the same would on the pain of contempt”, the Bench added. Posting the matter for July 19, the court directed the state government to submit a report regarding the action taken in respect of fresh defacements.