Chennai: The state government on Friday informed the Madras high court that the remaining deficiencies in the maintenance of Anna Centenary Library in Kotturpuram will be rectified by June 30, 2016.
Additional advocate general P. H. Arvindh Pandian on instructions made his submissions when a PIL filed by S. T. Manonmani came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M. M. Sundresh.
Originally, challenging the November 2, 2011, GO, which sought to shift the library, Manonmani filed a PIL. In July 2015, he filed another petition, alleging deliberate attempts to stifle the facility. Her senior counsel P. Wilson had submitted that a large number of books had gone missing and amenities such as elevators and air condition were not functioning. In July last week, the bench deputed two member commission comprising advocates P. T. Asha and M. Sundar to inspect the library and file a report.
Accordingly, they filed a 160-page report on August 24. Subsequently, they filed two more additional reports. On Friday, when the case came up for hearing, the two member commission filed their third additional report. Senior counsel P. Wilson submitted that deficiencies has not been rectified despite ample time was given and assurance given before the court.
The bench said the report submitted by the two-member commission shows a number of deficiencies still exist. Additional advocate general Arvindh Pandian stated that steps were being taken to remove whatever the deficiencies remain. “We called upon him to specify the date by which nothing would be left to be done further and we should sent the two member commission to verify that all the aspects have been attended to in every manner.
The AAG on instructions stated that June 30, 2016, may be taken as the cut off date for everything to be completed. We call upon the respondents to file a report in terms aforesaid along with the relevant photographs and thereafter, we will determine whether another visit of the two member commission is necessary or not. Compliance report be filed by July 7, the bench added and posted the matter to July 22.
