Make use of funds allocated by MLA for COVID, directs HC

Chennai

Observing that the entire world was in a panic situation due to the pandemic and were seeking funds for treatment for coronavirus infection, the Madras High Court on Wednesday set aside an order passed by the district Collector of Karur refusing to accept the fund allocated by DMK legislator V Senthil Balaji from his constituency development fund for purchasing ventilators for Karur GH merely because the hospital is situated outside Aravakurichi  constituency.

Allowing the writ petition filed by the MLA, a division bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice R Hemalatha quashed the order and directed the Collector to make use of the fund offered by Senthil Balaji.

Senthil Balaji, the MLA of Aravakurichi constituency, had sanctioned Rs 1.03 crore to buy 10 ventilators for the hospital.

He requested the Collector to make use of the fund for the treatment of general public suffering from the pandemic, submitted advocate S Prabakaran who appeared for the MLA, adding that the Collector had initially issued orders for utilisation of the money allocated from MLA funds.

However, the order was cancelled within three days due to extraneous consideration, the counsel said.

The matter had escalated into a slugfest between Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Opposition Leader MK Stalin.

After the latter condemned the decision to turn down the money, the Chief Minister retorted that Rs 60 lakh of the allotted fund was from the local area development fund, which, according to the norms, can only be spent for Aravakurichi constituency.