Kerala High Court closed the contempt case against the state Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob after recording her assurance that the construction of a sewage plant will be completed within a period of 18 months.
KOCHI: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday closed the contempt case against the state Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob after recording her assurance that the construction of a sewage plant in Guruvayoor will be completed within a period of 18 months.
The bench consisting of Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice K T Sankaran said that the court was not framing contempt of court charges, considering the affidavit filed in the case.
However, it reminded the Chief Secretary that this was the last chance for complying with the high court order of 2004 directing the government to complete the work of the plant.
Court also orally observed that the higher officials in the government should be more responsible towards court directions. It pointed out that pleading financial constrains in the matter was not desirable.
Earlier, HC had directed Lizzie Jacob, to appear in person before the court on July 30 to explain the reason behind non-implementation of the court's order of Jan 30, 2004 with regard to the setting up of the plant.
The contempt petition was filed by G Sukumaran, General Convenor of the Guruvayoor Drainage Action Committee.
When the government had failed to comply with the 2004 court direction, the petitioner had moved a contempt petition.
On Aug 5, 2005, then chief secretary, Palat Mohandas filed an affidavit stating that the plant's work would be completed within a year.
Recording the assurance, the court had closed the contempt case.
However, the petitioner again approached the court with another contempt petition stating that more than one and a half years had passed, but work of the plant had not started.
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