MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the state government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking certain restrictions in granting temporary licences for the sale of crackers in Tiruchy.
The petitioner P Christuraj, an advocate from Tiruchy, claimed that as per Section 84 (2) of Explosive Rules, 2008, temporary licences should not be granted to sell crackers within 50 metres from protected areas like residential buildings, hospitals, theatres, schools, colleges, markets, places of worships, highways or public roads, railway lines, water resources, overhead high tension power lines, among others.
However, the Tiruchy police are granting temporary licences mechanically without spot verification or compliance of the conditions prescribed in the above rules, Christuraj alleged. He requested the court to direct the government to ensure strict adherence of the said rules for the safety of the general public in Tiruchy.
Hearing the petition, a bench comprising Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri issued notice to the authorities concerned and adjourned the case.