PIL in Madras HC seeking Rs 10 lakh compensation

A PIL has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to government to grant Rs ten lakh compensation to families of those who died in a recent fire at a multi-storeyed building here and deduct the amount from salaries of officials concerned and from the house owner.
The plea was filed by social activist 'Traffic' Ramaswamy.
The vacation bench, comprising Justice R. Mahadevan and Justice M. Govindaraj, issued notice to the state government and adjourned the matter by two weeks to enable the goverment pleader M.K.Subramanian to get instructions from authorities.
The petitioner alleged, quoting media reports, that the building had been sealed for violations last year and wanted to know what made authorities to open the seal.

He alleged that it was due to the utter negligence of Chennai Metropolitan Department Authority officials concerned that the accident happened and four lives were lost.
Referring to government's compensation of Rs 1 lakh for next of kin of each deceased, the petitioner sought a direction to government to grant Rs.10 lakh and deduct the same from the salaries of the officials concerned and from the house owner.
Four persons, including two children, died while five persons were injured after a fire broke out at an apartment complex in the busy Vadapalani locality on May 8.