Tired of passing orders on illegal flex boards: Madras HC after death of techie

After an illegal flex board claimed the life of a 23-year-old woman in Chennai, Madras High Court on Friday came down hard on government officials for failing to implement its orders and said that it is tired of passing orders against these hoardings.

A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice N Seshasayee said that the court is tired of passing multiple orders on illegal flex boards adding that the court has been passing orders against them since December 2018.

"Where were the officials when the flex boards were erected? What answer does the government have for the parents of the girl who died? You can't just be satisfied with paying compensations for deaths. We are tired of this," the bench asked Advocate General Vijay Narayan appearing for the state government.

"How many more litres of blood do you want to paint the roads with?" the bench said.

A controversy had erupted after a woman identified as Subashree lost her life after an illegal flex banner erected in Pallikaranai here for the family function of an AIADMK functionary allegedly fell on the two-wheeler she was riding.

"Is this the value the life of a citizen has in this country? Why are bureaucrats so insensitive? These flex boards don't come up overnight. Just imagine the girl Subashree could have contributed to the GDP of this nation," the bench said.

"It's is bureaucratic apathy. Sorry, we have lost faith in the government," justice Seshasayee said.

"During the last hearing, the government told us that unauthorised flex boards had come down by 80 per cent. No political party has responded to our notices. We have not come across any party issuing a statement against flex boards either," the bench said.

"Couldn't that politician have conducted the family marriage without flex boards? Are political parties extra-constitutional authorities?" the bench said.

The court said that the chief minister should make a statement that his party cadres should not erect flex boards.

"Only politicians erect flex boards. They alone have to take responsibility for this. It must be the state's resolve to prevent illegal flex boards. Make it a movement in the state that we'll not do anything that harms the citizens of this country," it added.

AG Narayanan sought two days' time from the court and said that the government will ensure that the police act sternly.