HC orders status quo in plea against establishing petrol outlet in Aavin premises

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court had ordered to maintain the status quo on a petition filed against a move to establish a retail petrol outlet in a place where an Aavin milk processing unit is functioning in Pachapalayam village in Perur Taluk, Coimbatore district.

A vacation bench comprising Justice R Mahadevan and Justice S Ananthi passed the direction to the district administration, Petroleum Explosives and Safety Organization (PESO), Indian Oil and Aavin on a petition filed by S Krishnamurthy, a resident of the Ramasettipalayam village in Coimbatore.

The petitioner submitted that Aavin has decided to establish the retail petrol outlet without following any rules and regulations.

“The proposed petrol station will come on the Siruvani road. Since the outlet will function near the major district road, the IRC norms 2009, should have been followed. However, it was not done in the present case, ” the petitioner submitted.

He also stated that a children's playground is also functioning inside the Aavin premises. “If the petrol outlet comes there, it would cause risk to the children. Also, a high voltage lives electricity overhead cable is passing near by the premises and it is noted that an electricity transformer is also there, ” the petitioner added.

On recording the submissions, the judge ordered status quo in this matter and adjourned the matter for four weeks.