Tue Jan 28 15:30:07 UTC 2025: ## Madurai High Court Orders State to Address Squalid Conditions at Sri Lankan Refugee Camp
**Madurai, January 28, 2025** – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu state government following a public interest litigation (PIL) petition highlighting the deplorable living conditions at the Tiruvathavur Sri Lankan refugee camp in Melur.
The petition, filed by Madurai activist S. Karthik, details the inadequate sanitation, dilapidated housing, and lack of basic amenities faced by the camp’s 2,000+ residents, comprising 555 families. The camp, established in 2002, suffers from crumbling asbestos-roofed houses, frequent power outages, and a severe shortage of functioning toilets. While some improvements were made in 2022 and through NGO assistance, the petition states that only 20 of the approximately 70 toilets are usable. This has forced residents to defecate in the open. The petition also highlights a 2014 incident where a young girl died when her house collapsed during heavy rain.
The court, comprising Justices M.S. Ramesh and A.D. Maria Clete, directed the state government to file a counter-affidavit within two weeks. The petitioner seeks the construction of new concrete houses, adequate community and individual toilets, improved roads, streetlights, and overall improvements to ensure a dignified life for the camp’s residents. The case has been adjourned for two weeks.
First Piper 