Bringing relief to members of a Scheduled Caste in Pottalpatti, Madurai district, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the district administration to complete a bridge across Thathankulam kanmoi channel. The members of a backward community had opposed the project that would connect a public pathway to a bus stop.
A Division Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and S. Ananthi observed that a public work should not be affected by individual views of a section of society, which were based on personal views touching upon community or caste.
A benefit could not be denied on the sole ground that it was being opposed by persons belonging to some other community. The project had been contemplated and conceded to facilitate the needs of the general public and holding it up in view of the objections raised along communal lines could never be accepted, they said.
Though a work order was issued as early as September 2019, it was yet to take off in view of the frivolous objections raised along communal lines. The proposal should be given effect within a period of four months, the judges said.
Further, the judges made it clear that in case of any hindrance to the project, police could be used. The court was hearing the petition filed by M. Muthupandi of Madurai district who sought a direction to the authorities concerned to commence and complete the construction of the bridge across Thathankulam kanmoi channel. The petitioner said that the Scheduled Caste people were denied the basic right of access as no action was initiated by the authorities.
