The Madras High Court Friday stayed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to convert the newly-built Anna Centenary Library (ACL) here into a super specialty paediatric hospital while shifting the library to a different location.
Hearing two public suits filed by advoctes R Prabhakaran and P Pugazhendhi, the high court issued notice to the government and also queried as to why it decided to convert the library with modern facilities into a hospital. The notice is returnable in six weeks.
According to the petitioners, the government’s decision is politically motivated.
The library was built during the previous DMK regime.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa Wednesday announced the government’s decision to convert the library into a hospital while shifting the library to the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) complex where an Integrated Knowledge Park is being planned.
“The integrated knowledge park would house offices under DPI, training centre, conference halls, sports complex, distance education studio, incubation centre and a modern central library,” Jayalalithaa said.
She said the proposed paediatric hospital will be the first of its kind in the country and the state would rank at the top in taking care of the children’s health.
The decision to set up a paediatric hospital follows the government’s earlier decision to convert the DMK-built new legislative building into a super specialty hospital similar to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
The Anna Centenary Library, with a capacity to house around 1.2 million books, was built for Rs.172 crore to commemorate the centenary of late chief minister CN Annadurai.
