Feasibility of LPG autos in all districts to be studied

The Madras High Court has given four-week time for the State to decide on issuing permits only to LPG-run autos in other districts as per the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. As of now the Government Order is confined only to Chennai. The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, before which the PIL came up, sanctioned more time after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’s counsel submitted that a study would be carried out in all major towns, instead of restricting it to Namakkal district. The petitioner P Boobalan of Erode, while referring to the Government Order restricting grant of permits to autos plying only in Chennai, said “in almost all big towns in the State, the air pollution caused by vehicles fitted with diesel/ petrol engines is higher than the prescribed bench mark. But the GO has been restricted only to Chennai without accounting for the people’s health living in other towns in the state.”

The Madras High Court has refused to take any decision on a rule that prohibits women from entering temples. A division bench comprising Justice T S Sivagnanan and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana said, “A larger issue regarding the restriction of women entering temples is under the Supreme Court’s consideration. We do not propose to take any decision in this matter nor even order notice to the respondents.” The bench adjourned the case for two months. 

The petitioner S Aarthy had contended that rule 3 (c) of the TN Temple Entry Authorisation Act 1947 prohibited women from entering the temples at such times during which they are not, by custom and usage, allowed to enter temple. She said the expression ‘at such times’ and ‘custom and usage’ used in the said rule is vague and is not explained anywhere in the rules. She further contended that whatever the expression ‘at such time’ means, no woman can be denied entry into a temple on the grounds of gender. Such denial would amount to discrimination against women in general. Every Hindu woman has a fundamental right like every Hindu man to enter any temple under the control of HR & CE, she said.