http://www.apcpkerala.org
drgdinakaran1@gmail.com
Filing of PUBLIC INTEREST PETITION – against the
Public Works Department and Government of Kerala for the negligent attitude
towards worst damaged narrow bridge of high risk potential for major man-made
disaster:
From
Gopalan Dinakaran BY
REGISTERED POST
Sivakrupa, Anjilithanam P O, 4th November, 2005
Thiruvalla, Dt. Pathanamthitta, Kerala Pin 689
582
To
The Honourable Chief Justice of Kerala High
Court,
Ernakulam,
Pin 682
011
Sub: > Filing of PUBLIC INTEREST PETITION –
against the Public Works Department and Government of Kerala for the negligent
attitude towards worst damaged narrow bridge of high risk potential for major
man-made disaster:
Respected Honourable Chief Justice of Kerala High
Court,
Finding no other option to prevent a major
accident/disaster on a narrow heavy Traffic bridge in my neighbourhood, I,
Gopalan Dinakaran, with the permission of the Honourable Kerala High Court,
humbly wish to submit this PUBLIC INTEREST PETITION before the Honourable Court of Chief Justice, High
Court, Ernakulam.
The facts of the Petition are explained
hereunder:
1.
An approximately 60 years old narrow concrete
damaged bridge (only one bus at a time can cross the bridge, and the side
hand-rails at both sides does not exist even for name-sake) located at Anjilithanam on the heavy traffic
Changanacherry-Paippad-Thottabhagam-Pathanamthitta main road is virtually unfit
to heavy traffic for the last 10 years.
This road links Pathanamthitta and
Kottayam District s. This bridge connects Paipad Panchayat in Kottayam
District and Kunnanthanam Panchayat in Pathanamthitta District. Sharp curve from hilly terrain towards the
down approach road leading to the bridge, lack of proper area lighting at
night, narrow-ness, having no side rails on both sides, and the depth between
the water stream down below and the bridge is approximately 20 ft to 25
ft. This bridge is now proned high risk
accident/disaster.
2.
Due to the reasons explained above,
several four wheelers and two wheeters gave way mostly at night and fallen down
the water stream with minor or major
injuries. Last year one empty passenger
bus on their return journey at night had fallen down and driver and conductor
got seriously injured.
3.
Of late, one School bus carrying
about 50 students belonging to an English Medium Public School, Tiruvalla had a
hit on side debris and miraculously escaped.
Perhaps God has saved the lives
of many at this time. This incident,
when explained by a child, prompted me to place my request before the
Honourable Court. (Name of School withheld).
4.
Year after year, just before the
elections, Honourable Ministers, MLAs, MPs and other top political leaders are
invited by different political parties, collect small donations, put up
beautiful pandals, arrange mike sets, induce public gatherings near the damaged
bridge and conduct public meetings in which assurances are given for a quick
solution to the villagers’ ten-year-old problem. We, the innocent villagers. Believed them yesterday, today and will
believe tomorrow. Unfortunatelely no
solution has come so far.
5.
The latest Public meeting in the
series was chaired by the Honourable PWD Minister who was very kind to give an
assurance to solve the problem within the next following months. This public meeting was held just before the
last elections. However, the residents
of Anjilithanam and the road-users here are still to find any movement in this
direction. None is available even to put
up red flag signals. All hopes are lost.
6.
In the aforesaid road, not less than
60 private buses and other vehicles ply to-and-for trips daily. All known commuters are aware about the bad
condition of the bridge and new commuters could meet with unfortunate
disasters. We are very much worried
because, we, our relations and our children travel daily through this dangerous
damaged risky bridge.
Hence this Public Interest Petition:
I, Gopalan Dinakaran, therefore, with
the kind permission of the Honourable
High Court, Cochin, place this
Public Interest Petition, before the Honourable Kerala High Court with a
submission to direct the Kerala State Government and the Public Works
Department to replace this old and damaged bridge on topmost priority within a
specified short-time to avert a possible major man-made disaster in this
other-wise neglected zero-level-developed village hamlet. Ninety percent
population here consists of labourers and unemployed youth. One seventy-year old Malayalam Medium Lower
Primary School, one Temporary Lower Grade Post Office and one Anganwadi are the total development for
this large area population. When no
happiness is provided, we expect justice atleast not to have a man-made
disaster for our people.
With most respectable regards,
This Public Interest Petition is
submitted to the Honourable Kerala Highcourt on the 4th November,
2005.
Most failthly,
Gopalan Dinakaran
Sivakrupa
Anjilithanam
Thiruvalla,
Dt. Pathanamthitta Pin 689 582
Kerala.
Anjilithanam, dated 4th
November, 2005.
Further developments:
Immediately after sending the
Petition to the Hon. High Court, an Investigating Officer, Dr. Agith Thomas
John, Investigation Officer, Kollam visited Anjilithanam area, Kunnathanam
Panchayath and later met me and further
made an
Enquiry about the facts and he
reported to the Government authorities positively . Within a week or so, the authorities were
kind enough to repair the bridge and solved the problem of our villages and the
road users here. Except my neighbor Mr.
M. K. Sreedharan and Dr. Agith Thomas John, nobody is aware about this Public
Petition sent to the Hon. High Court of Kerala.
Latest development:
Today is 4th April, 2019 when 14 years completing by today
the same bridge’s width gets doubled as part of great development on the
Changanachery-Kaviyur-Thottabhagam Road.
Seeing the wider bridge and the
happiness of people around, I thought it better to put this info in the Blogger
on 4th April, 2019.
I would request Dr. Agith Thomas John
to write few words here.
Thank you very much Dr. Agith Thomas
John.
