Chennai, Aug 24:
The Madras High Court has directed the Chief Registrar of the High Court and the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department to respond to a PIL alleging poor sanitary conditions in toilets at subordinate courts across Tamil Nadu.
The PIL, filed by Chennai-based advocate K. Sivasubramaniam, alleged that toilets in several lower courts were in worse condition than public toilets, with broken taps and fixtures, poor ventilation and foul odour.
The petitioner said the conditions were causing hardship to lawyers and litigants and could lead to health risks, including dengue and malaria. He sought directions for proper cleaning, maintenance and repair of court toilets.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan asked who uses the toilets and observed that those responsible should ensure their cleanliness.
The Bench directed the Chief Registrar and the PWD Chief Engineer to file their responses and adjourned the hearing.