In view of several fireworks unit accidents being reported in Virudhunagar district, a public interest litigation petition was filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday seeking a direction to the State to take preventive measures. The petition also sought appointment of a commission to probe the fire accident that happened on February 12.
Hearing the petition filed by M. Rajasekaran of Madurai, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice R. Hemalatha directed the State government to file a counter affidavit on the steps taken to regulate the functioning of fireworks industry and the compensation given to the families of the victims.
The petitioner, a member of the Loktantrik Janata Dal, said accidents were taking place in fireworks units repeatedly and the government was not taking any serious measures to stop them. No action was taken against licence holders of the units. Unless there was a stringent law in place, it would be hard to stop such accidents, he said.
He pointed out that many fireworks units in the district functioned without proper licence. He sought a direction to the State to appoint a commission to probe the recent fireworks accident in the district and provide appropriate compensation to the families of the victims.
