Activists to initiate contempt proceedings as encroachments continue

Activists, who moved a public interest litigation and obtained an order from Madras High Court to remove all encroachments along Maternity Hospital Road opposite Tirupur Old Bus Stand, are now planning to initiate contempt proceedings against the Corporation administration.

Even though the court verdict came in 2011, the encroachments mainly caused by traders and street vendors are still rampant on the road stretch. “We will move the court again as the authorities have been repeatedly removing the encroachments only cosmetically and not taking steps to end the menace. In the years subsequent to the court verdict, we have given many a petitions to the Collector and Corporation Commissioner requesting them to ensure that the court order was implemented in its letter and spirit. But no one has taken any constructive step to remove the encroachments,” T. Sathyamoorthy, who was among the lawyer-activists behind the PIL, told The Hindu .

Mr. Sathyamoorthy accused that even a flex board highlighting the court verdict was put up alongside the road only recently after a petition was moved under Right To Information Act seeking answers from the Corporation on the steps taken to implement the court order.

Admitting that the encroachments by the street vendors and other traders are causing immense hardships to people coming to the Corporation-run maternity hospital, M. Kannappan, councillor, said that steps would be taken to permanently remove the encroachments. “The Corporation removed the vendors who obstructed traffic only to see them return,” he said.

Temple removed

Amid protests from a group of people, the Corporation administration removed a temple situated at Neruparichal on Thursday. The small temple was constructed by encroaching upon the public space, sources said. Some people later gave a petition to the Collector against the removal of temple.