Fireworks mishaps: HC asks govts why not order a CBI probe

The Madras High Court today asked the central and Tamil Nadu governments why complaints over fireworks mishaps and violations in giving licences and guidelines for fireworks units, godowns and shops should not be referred to CBI for a detailed probe.
The Madurai bench of the high court posed the question to counsels of central and state governments in the presence of the Joint Director of Explosives and senior officials of the explosives department.
It also sought details of the quantum of compensation to be paid and asked the counsels to get instructions from the governments concerned and file an affidavit on October 27.

Noting that there had been violations of safety measures in the cracker shop at Sivakasi and no action had been taken against officials who abetted them, the bench sought to know why complaints of violations should not be referred to CBI.
It also said there seemed to be serious lapses in granting licences for fireworks units in Karur and Tiruchirapalli, where 50 units had been permitted to come up.
The bench directed the Collectors of Tiruchirapalli and Virudhunagar and the Commissioner of Police, Tiruchirapalli to file a report on the action taken against the units on October 27.

On October 21, the court had taken suo motu cognisance of media reports on the fire cracker mishap in Sivakasi, about 70 km from here, in which nine persons were killed and directed government officials concerned to file a report on safety violations that had led to the deaths.

A division bench had directed the Joint Director of Explosives, among others, to be present before it and submit a detailed report.
The high court had raised several queries, including how a scan centre was allowed to function near the fireworks godown.
It also sought to know about the steps taken and planned to be put in place to ensure the safety of people working and living around cracker units and godowns.
Nine people, including six women, were killed in a fire cracker mishap at the fireworks hub of Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district on October 20.
The mishap occurred when a fire broke out while crackers were being offloaded from a vehicle to a shop.