Expressing dismay over the shabby way in which the widow of film comedian Kumarimuthu, a Kalaimamani awardee, was being forced to vacate a house allotted to him during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime in 2001, Justice R. Mahadevan of the Madras High Court on Thursday wanted to know whether an alternative accommodation could be provided to her.
The judge made an oral observation that grant of awards would be of no use if the government does not extend a helping hand to the family members of the awardees after the latter’s death. In her affidavit, K. Punniavathi stated that the State government had allotted a house to her husband at Nandanam here in honour of his contribution to the film industry.
However, after his death in 2016, the government officials issued a show-cause notice to her seeking explanation as to why the allottment should not be cancelled since the allottee had died. She received another notice on June 27 this year, informing her that a decision had been taken to demolish the building and therefore she had to necessarily vacate the property.
