‘Restrain unauthorised construction’
Vellore: A PIL petition has been filed in the Madras High Court, to restrain the Vellore District Collector, Corporation Commissioner and the director of Town and Country Planning department, from carrying out any alleged unauthorised construction in the prohibited areas of Vellore Fort. The first bench, before which the PIL from the Pasumai Pathukappu Sangam came up for hearing on Thursday, ordered notice to the authorities concerned, returnable by September 29. Describing the architectural features of Vellore Fort, the petitioner said under the pretext of implementing the smart city scheme, the Collector was proposing to demolish the existing Nethaji market and accommodate it in a two-storey building. Since the venue is situated within the prohibited 100 metres area from the Fort, no such constructions can be made, the petitioner said.
Notice on plea to fix minimum wages
Madurai: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court issued notice to State on a petition filed against a government order (G.O.) passed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department alleging that the same has denied ‘equal pay for equal work’ to non-HR&CE staff like archakas, beshkar among others. The petitioner Periyanambi Narasimha Gopalan of Tirunelveli, submitted that the G.O. had been passed in June 28, 2019, based on the judgment passed by a division bench of the court for solving the problems relating to pay, gratuity and other benefits of HR&CE employees. The G.O. passed in light of the judgment has not provided any immediate or time bound revision of wages for archakas, Gopalan alleged. He sought quashing of the relevant portion of the G.O. relating to wages of non-HR&CE staffs and to direct the government to fix minimum wage for them.