Madras High Court raps Tamil Nadu govt over toddler’s death

Chennai: Asking as to whether the state government needs a dead body to act upon implementing each and every statute, the Madras high court has directed the state government to submit various details including the penal action taken against violators who have failed to comply with the conditions stipulated for digging the borewells and tube wells.

A division bench comprising Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and N. Seshasayee gave the directive after hearing a PIL filed soon after the death of Sujith Wilson.

In his PIL, V. Ponraj, a scientist, who had worked with former president late A.P.J.Abdul Kalam for 20 years, sought a direction to the state government to strictly comply with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in 2010 and enforce the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Regulation of Sinking of Wells and Safety Measures) Rules.

During the hearing, the bench orally observed that the media except giving live relay did not act with responsibility in bringing awareness among the public with regard to the implementation of rules and regulations stipulated for digging borewells and tube wells.

The bench also observed that everybody has a social responsibility to bring awareness and it was more on the media in publishing the guidelines issued by the state government based on the order of the Supreme Court.