MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to file a comprehensive counter affidavit detailing the steps to be taken to prevent recurring accidents in firecracker units in Virudhunagar district.
A bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and M Jothiraman also invited suggestions from advocates, including senior counsel T Lajapathi Roy, to resolve the issue.
The judges observed that there are repeated accidents in firecracker units and asked what the state has been doing to prevent them. It is very unfortunate and disturbing that most of the victims are women, they added.
Though additional advocate general M Ajmal Khan informed that the state has paid compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of the victims who died in the accident at Kattanarpatti on Sunday, the judges said the workers should be engaged only after ensuring at least a minimum insurance amount of Rs 25 lakh. They also orally questioned why the state was permitting the units to function in the scorching heat of summer and advised the state to consider banning production during the season.
The court made the observations while allowing a petition filed by the state, requesting to condone 45 days delay in filing appeal against a single judge's order dated May 16, 2025, issuing a series of directions regarding payment of compensation to victims of cracker unit accidents, formulation of insurance and rehabilitation schemes, ensuring proper safety measures to prevent future accidents among others. The matter will be heard again in the second week of June.