The Madras High Court disposed of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) registered upon attention being drawn to several newspaper reports reporting the incident of roof collapse causing the death of eight employees, including two drivers of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation.
The Court took suo-motu cognizance and registered it as suo-motu public interest litigation for directions to the State of Tamil Nadu so also the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation to ensure that all the buildings are immediately secured and repaired, those injured are provided with adequate treatment at the cost of the State/Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Limited and adequate compensation is provided to those killed and to those others injured.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay V.Gangapurwala and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu had called for a status report regarding the condition of the buildings of bus depots throughout the State and also the details of compensation paid.
It is submitted that Rs.9.00 lakh compensation is paid to the family members of each of the deceased. Rs.1.75 lakh each is paid to persons who sustained grievous injury, and Rs.75,000/- each is paid to persons who sustained simple injury.
The details of the stability certificates issued by the Chartered Engineer (Civil) regarding the bus depots have been filed along with the status report. The details of compensation disbursed is also given in the status report. The structural stability certificates have been issued in respect of almost all the bus depots throughout the State.
It is submitted by the Special Government Pleader that now all the buildings are inspected periodically and general repairs are carried out.
The undertaking is also given in the status report that in future also inspection will be done frequently and if any issue arises, it will be addressed immediately. All efforts would be taken to avoid such unfortunate incident in future.
“We hope and trust that the respondents will abide by their undertaking given on affidavit and shall supervise and inspect periodically the buildings of the bus depots and take remedial measures immediately so that such unfortunate incident propelling this Court to take suo-motu cognizance is avoided”, with these observations, the Court disposed of the Petition.