IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.BHAVADASAN WEDNESDAY, THE 22ND SEPTEMBER 2010 / 31ST BHADRA 1932 DBP.No. 60 of 2010() ----------------- (IN THE MATTER OF TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD – FOR INCREASING THE WAGES OF AN EMPLOYEE (KOTTARAM ADICHU THALI) IN PRUVANAM TEMPLE – TDB – REPORT NO. 136/2010 SUBMITTED BY THE OMBUDSMAN – SUO-MOTU PROCEEDINGS INITIATED – REG.) ................................................................ COMPLAINANT : -------------------- SMT. C.K. VALSALA, KORAMBIL VEEDU, PRUVANAM, CHERPPU P.O., THRISSUR DISTRICT. BY ADV. RESPONDENTS : ---------------------- 1. TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY, NANTHANCODE, THIRUVANANTAHPURAM. 2. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LOCAL FUND AUDIT, TDB – AUDIT, THIRUVANANTAHPURAM. R1 BY ADV. SRI.K.N.VENUGOPALA PANICKER R2 BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI. LAKSHMI NARAYAN SRI.KRISHNA KUMAR MANGOT (AMICUS CURIE) FOR OMBUDSMAN THIS DEVASWOM BOARD PETITION HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 22/09/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: Mn THOTTATHIL.B.RADHAKRISHNAN & P.BHAVADASAN, JJ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DBP No.60 of 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dated 22nd September 2010 Order Thottathil.B.Radhakrishnan, J. We have perused the report of the learned Ombudsman, disclosing the sad plight of the complainant Smt.C.K.Valsala. She works for a pittance of Rs.500/-, cleaning the vessels for 'uchapooja' in a temple under the Travancore Devaswom Board. All other pujas in the temple are done under the control of the Cochin Devaswom Board. The complainant does not appear to have any work under the Cochin Devaswom Board. She, however, cooks food for the students of Kalapeedam, run by the Travancore Devaswom Board. 2. There is no reason, why the Travancore Devaswom Board shall not act in terms of the report of the learned Ombudsman, to increase the wages of the complainant, commensurate with the work done by her, DBP 60/10 2 taking into account, the cost of living in such cities. Under these circumstances, the Travancore Devaswom Board is directed to comply with the report of the learned Ombudsman by providing such increase in the wages of the complainant as may be deemed fit on the facts and circumstances, having particular regard to the minimum wage pattern also, available in the labour sector. Let such decision be taken and arrears, if any, be disbursed to the complainant with effect from such date as the Board may decide, having a realistic view of the matter. Let this be done within an outer limit of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. The DBP is ordered accordingly. THOTTATHIL.B.RADHAKRISHNAN, JUDGE P.BHAVADASAN, JUDGE sta DBP 60/10 3 DBP 60/10 4