A division bench comprising Justice P.P.S.Janarthanaraja and Justice N.Duraiswamy ordered notice to Central and state Government officials when the petition seeking setting up of an inquiry commission headed by a retired High Court judge came up before it.
State government Pleader Pugazhendi took notice for the State officials.
Thirty nine persons died and over 70 injured when a major fire swept through the fireworks factory at Mudalipatti in Virudhunagar District on September 5.
The Petitioner submitted, since more than one life had been lost in the accident, as per the Explosives Act, an official in the rank of District Magistrate only should conduct the inquiry. Or the central government could appoint a competent person having special knowledge to inquire into the cause.
As the accident had occurred because of the "indifference" of the enforcing officers including the District Magistrate and other officials, they could not conduct the probe. Only a Judicial probe should be ordered.
The petitioner, a native of Mudalipatti, said government had declared that 30 of the fatal victims were visitors, who rushed into the factory to rescue their relatives, as both the central and state governments purposefully wanted to transfer their liability to the rescuers own risk.
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Admittedly 370 persons worked in the factory and 30 children had come with their mothers. As per the rescuers' account nearly 70 persons had died.
There was no reply as to what happened to the others who were in the factory. He said in this case the number of deaths should be more than the official figure and it should probed.
The Petitioner also prayed for a compensation of Rs 30 lakh to the families of deceased and Rs 7 lakh for those who lost their organs and Rs 2 lakh for other injured.