HYDERABAD: A division bench of the High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the relevant authorities of the Central and TS governments, Singareni collieries Company and others, asking them to file counter affidavits on a PIL which alleged supply of substandard boots to coal mine workers by unscrupulous traders.
The bench of acting chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice T Rajani was dealing with a taken-up PIL case based on a letter written by ‘A social body for mining workers’, an NGO from Godavarikhani in Karimnagar.
NGO’s legal spokesman Om Shanti Brihannala, in his letter, sought action against the suppliers of such substandard boots. He also sought directions to authorities concerned to take steps to prevent the damage that these boots could cause to miners.
The petitioner brought to the notice of the court about the substandard boots supplied by unscrupulous traders and alleged silence of Singareni Collieries management despite the fact that the boots supplied were far below the quality and ISI standards prescribed by Singareni company and BIS.
While adjourning the case by two weeks, the bench issued notices to the principal secretary to mines and industries department, New Delhi; director-general of BIS; principal secretary to mines and geology, Telangana; SCCL; and the vendors who supplied the boots.