M.T. Arunan, an advocate practising in the Madras High Court, on Tuesday accused the Public Works Department of having spoilt the 125-year-heritage building of the court over the years and batted for handing over its maintenance to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Arguing a public interest litigation petition filed by him before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar, the advocate broke a couple of bricks with his bare hands to support his claim of substandard materials being used by the PWD for the maintenance of the building.
When the judges wanted to know from where he got those bricks, the advocate said that he had picked them up from a pile of bricks which the PWD workers had stacked in the court buildings about six months ago.
Later, drawing the attention of the two judges to a stone arch behind them, Mr. Arunan said that the PWD officials had used oil to polish the arch without realising its harmful effects. He also pointed out that beautiful paintings on the high ceiling of the majestic first court hall were missing from two spots.
‘Hand over maintenance’
“I have been in this court for the last 20 years and I know every inch of this place very well. It is not at all advisable to leave the maintenance of this court to the PWD. It is not the public works department, it is actually the poor works department. The maintenance should be immediately handed over to the ASI,” the lawyer said.
Even as he was arguing the case, the judges had to wind up the proceedings for the day since there was a Full Court (all judges) reference touching upon the death of G. Ramanujam, a former judge of the High Court. The High Court Registry was directed to post the case for hearing on Wednesday.
