Chennai: The Madras high court has directed authorities to ensure that no dead bodies are burnt in the land classified as a cart track at Kolathupalayam village, Dharapuram taluk, Tirupur district.
A division bench comprising Justices T.S. Sivagnanam and K. Ravichandrabaabu gave the directive while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation from T.K. Palanisamy, which sought a direction to the authorities not to grant permission or pass orders to use the cart track in the village for the purpose of burial of dead bodies.
The bench said the government pleader submitted that the land in question has been classified in the revenue records as a cart track (vandi padhai) and that from the year 2013 only three bodies have been buried.
When authorities admit the classification of the land in question as ‘vandi padhai’ and the fact that no permission has been granted for converting the same into one of a burial or cremation ground, a duty was cast upon the revenue officials and other authorities to ensure that no burial or burning of dead bodies takes place in the land in question, the bench added.
The bench said counsel for the petitioner submitted that within 2 km from the said area, there was an electric crematorium established by the municipality with all facilities and that therefore, the public of the area concerned can very well use the said electric crematorium. Government Pleader submitted that the cart track was to be converted into a full-fledged road by laying a tar road.
