The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : High Court direction to prevent wall demolition

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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

High Court direction to prevent wall demolition

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MARCH 31. The Madras High Court has directed the Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) to prevent the demolition of a wall between the 14th Main Road in Anna Nagar and the Pudhu Colony slum.

Justice K.P. Sivasubramaniam gave the interim direction on a writ petition filed by Indu Anand of Anna Nagar, stating that the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minority Commission, N. Prakash, had been instigating residents of Pudhu Colony to demolish the wall to have direct access to a Pentecostal church in the Colony.

Ms. Anand said the wall was constructed after repeated requests from Anna Nagar residents to ensure peace in the areaand to prevent strangers and anti-social elements from using the road .

After it suffered some damage, the TNHB reconstructed the wall in November 2003. The petitioner alleged that on February 1, Mr. Prakash had told residents of the 14th Main Road that unless the wall was demolished within two days, "he will see to it that it is demolished by his men in no time."

When the matter was brought to the notice of the TNHB, the latter did not take any action to stop Mr. Prakash from taking the "unlawful act of demolishing the wall against the welfare of the residents of 14th Main Road."

Anticipating the demolition of the wall "any time," Ms. Anand said unless an urgent interim direction was issued to the TNHB to ensure the wall's protection, irreparable damage would be caused to the interests of the residents.

Mr. Justice Sivasubramaniam admitted the plea, granted the interim prayer of the petitioner and issued notice to the TNHB and Mr. Prakash.

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