Madras High Court permits indefinite fast against GCC’s outsourcing of conservancy work

The Madras High Court has permitted four women to observe an indefinite fast at Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam’s (UUI) offfice at Ambattur against the outsourcing of conservancy work in zones V (Royapuram) and VI (Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar) of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira directed the Avadi Commissioner of Police and Ambattur Inspector to grant permission for the indefinite fast, subject to eight conditions imposed by the court. The judge recorded that the women, Jenova, Bharathi, Geetha, and Vasanthi, would observe the fast.

“In the event of any of them withdrawing the indefinite fast, they can be substituted by any other member of UUI. However, the number of persons observing the indefinite fast shall not be more than four. The number of persons visiting the petitioner association shall also be restricted to 50,” he added.

The judge ordered that the organisers should not put up any temporary structure, such as a pandal/shamiana, chairs, and so on, outside the association premises and that there should not be any disturbance to the residents of the locality where the UUI office was located.

They should permit a government doctor to visit and review the health of the fasting members on a daily basis, both in the morning and evening, and that UUI treasurer R. Mohan, who had filed the case seeking permision for the fast, must file an undertaking before the police agreeing to abide by all these conditions, the court ordered.

Though the petitioner had sought permission for the indefinite fast outside Rajarathinam stadium at Egmore, Additional Public Prosecutor E. Raj Thilak opposed such a request and said, the designated place for protests and demonstrations by various bodies could not be allotted for an indefnite fast.

The APP said, the police would, however, grant permission for the fast if it was to be organised within UUI’s premises, subject to the conditions imposed by the court.