Madras high court stays Kanchi dt notice to St Joseph’s Hospice

CHENNAI: In a big relief to Kancheepuram-based institution caring for the dying destitutes -- St Joseph’s Hospice -- Madras high court has stayed a district administration’s order asking the organisation to remove corpses buried in concrete vaults on the campus.
In his order dated February 22, the sub divisional magistrate cum revenue divisional officer of Kancheepuram described it as ‘nuisance.’ Corpses created health hazards, and so why should action not be taken against the hospice if it did not reply to the notice in seven days, said the order.

Justice M S Ramesh, before whom a writ petition filed by managing director of the Hospice V Thomas came up for admission on Thursday, stayed the order passed by revenue divisional officer of Kanchipuram till March 22.

In his petition, Thomas said the concrete vault burial place with huge pits had been constructed with concrete pillars. Corpses are placed on the bed of rods between the pillars and sealed airtight. “This procedure does not need wood, fuel, electricity or vast space. It saves a lot of space and energy. There is no chance for air or water pollution,” he said.

Accusing a local politician of having spread falsehoods about the Hospice due to enmity, Thomas said the concept of hospice was not hospital, but taking care and focusing upon the critically and terminally ill patients. The main purpose of the institution is to take care and protect the interest of dying destitutes abandoned or orphaned by their families, he said. In case of death, last rites are performed and such deaths are intimated to local police, village administrative officer and the panchayat, he said.

He sought to quash the RDO order saying he had issued the notice without any authority of law.