CHENNAI: Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Wednesday held the State government responsible for the fire accidents in two cracker units in Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district that claimed the lives of 14 persons, including 12 women.
In a statement, he said periodic inspections to check the safety measures at these units would have averted such accidents. However, such inspections were not carried out as promised in the Assembly earlier.
He demanded the government to announce Rs 10 lakh solatium to the families of the victims and Rs 3 lakh for injured.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan and MNM founder Kamal Haasan also urged the state to ensure the safety of the workers in the firecracker units with back-to-back accidents taking away dozens of lives due to official apathy.