Every stone placed on roadside cannot become an idol, says Madras High Court
Chennai: The Madras High Court expressed disapproval of prevailing "superstitious beliefs" in the country regarding the elevation of stones to the status of idols. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh issued a directive to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Pallavaram Range in Chengalpattu district, to remove a stone placed at the entrance of a private property.
The court highlighted the inconvenience caused to property owners by the practice of placing stones on roadsides, draping them with cloths, and performing rituals to declare them as idols.
Justice Venkatesh humorously remarked on the absurdity of individuals having to go to civil court to determine whether a stone is merely a stone or has attained the status of an idol.
In disposing of a writ petition filed by E. Shakthi Murugan, who sought protection for the removal of a stone obstructing access to his property, the judge criticized the continuation of such superstitious beliefs in society.
The petitioner's complaint had been closed by the police, claiming it was a civil matter. However, after examining photographs, the judge noted the attempt to declare the stone as an idol by covering it with a green cloth.
“It is seen that the stone has been planted right in front of the property belonging to the petitioner. By covering that stone with a green cloth, an attempt is made by someone to call it as an idol,” the Judge said.
The court emphasized that it would be a waste of judicial time to entertain a frivolous dispute over whether the object was a stone or an idol. The Assistant Commissioner of Police was directed to act on the petitioner's complaint and ensure the removal of the stone within a week, allowing the petitioner to enjoy his property.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
