The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday directed the listing of a public interest litigation on the Thalout tragedy for final disposal on December 9.
Twenty five people, including 24 B. Tech. students of VNR Vigyan Jyoti Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, and a tour operator were washed away near Thalout in Mandi district of the Sate on June 8. The incident took place when water was released from the State run Larji Hydro Power project, allegedly without any warning.
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, passed these orders on a petition taken up suo moto by the Court, which took cognizance of news reports on the incident.
The Court framed three points for final disposal. First, on steps that should be taken to prevent such incidents in future; second, whether the investigation was concluded properly; and third, whether parents of the students can lay a motion before the trial Court in terms of Section 173(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code and whether a final award can be made by the High Court in a writ petition.
