MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday issued notice to the state government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed seeking action against officials over the death of four workers in a stone quarry accident in Adaimithipankulam of Tirunelveli in May 2022.
The litigant, SMA Pon Gandhimathinathan of Thoothukudi, submitted that the quarry had been functioning since 2018.
M-sand is produced in the quarry by blasting the rocks using explosives and later transported illegally, he opined. During one such explosion, a giant rock fell down and trapped six workers, killing four of them on May 14, 2022, he said, adding that the negligence of authorities--Palayamkottai tahsildar, assistant director of geology and mining, Munneerpallam police inspector and Tharuvaikulam village administrative officer-- in preventing the illegal quarry activity has resulted in the death of the workers.
Claiming that the collector has failed to take appropriate action against the said officials, he sought the above direction. A Bench of justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri issued notice to the authorities concerned and adjourned the case.