CHENNAI: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on Tuesday expressed deep anguish over the firecracker unit explosion near Sivakasi that claimed the lives of eight workers and left five others critically injured. The incident occurred at a privately-owned unit in Chinnakamanpatti, Virudhunagar district.
He conveyed the party’s condolences to the families of the deceased and expressed sympathy to the injured. He said such accidents were on the rise in Tamil Nadu’s firecracker industry and attributed the recurring tragedies to lax enforcement of safety norms, inadequate inspections, and official apathy.
“The government must act with urgency to prevent such incidents by conducting strict inspections, enforcing safety protocols, and ensuring accountability among officials,” he said.
Shanmugam criticised the Rs 4 lakh relief announced by the State government to each of the deceased’s families as inadequate. Referring to previous National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives, he demanded that Rs 20 lakh be paid by the State and Rs 10 lakh by the factory management to the families of the deceased.
He said that victims’ families, the CPM, and trade unions had staged protests urging implementation of the NGT order. The government should immediately disburse the enhanced compensation and provide advanced medical care for the critically injured, he added.