The High Court of Karnataka on Friday disposed of a PIL petition after accepting the action taken report submitted by the State Government to prevent the incident of a blast that occurred at a stone quarrying site at Hunasodu villege near Shivamogga city on January 21.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum disposed of the petition filed by K.B. Vijayakumar while observing that investigation on the incident had been completed and a chargesheet filed against several accused persons. In its statement submitted to the court, the government said that ₹5 lakh each had been paid as compensation to the eligible family members of five persons, who had died in the blast that occurred when explosive materials in a lorry exploded on the site.
The court also recorded the submission made on behalf of the government that a special team consisting of officials of different departments, including the Police Department, was formed to check illegal mining/quarrying activities in Shivamogga district. The petitioner had sought direction from the court to identify officials of the government who had failed to curb illegal mining/quarrying in Shivamogga district, and initiation of action against them after holding an inquiry.
