Contempt plea in Kumbakonam school fire case

The first bench of acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice R Mahadevan on being told that the officials had assured the court during Oct 2016 that the compensation would be paid by Nov 2016, but were yet to abide by it, issued notice to the government and adjourned the case by a week. A total of 94 children died on July 16, 2004 after the thatched roof of Krishna English Medium School caught fire. Eighteen other children suffered injuries. Though the incident had led to the formation of a judicial inquiry which came out with stringent school safety norms, conviction of the school correspondent and others, the families did not got any monetary compensation until a PIL was filed two years ago. The High Court appointed a one-man commission to go into the compensation aspect alone and submit a report. The commission fixed Rs 5 lakh as compensation to families of children killed in the tragedy. It also awarded Rs 6 lakh each to four students, who were severely injured and Rs 5 lakh to three students who were also injured and Rs 50,000 each to 10 others.

Another plea has been moved at the Madras High Court seeking to prevent the state from raising any memorial for former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa using government money at Marina Beach or elsewhere and direct the state to remove her portraits from public places.

The First Bench Comprising Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice R Mahadevan which directed to tag the present petition with similar petitions, posted the matter for further hearing.The plea moved by Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam(TPDK), Chennai District Secretary, C Kumaran, contended that the state can’t afford to celebrate and honour her. He said the former Chief Minister has been convicted not for any public cause but for corruption. Moreover, she had also been imposed with a fine of Rs100 crore, apart from directions to confiscate her immoveable and moveable properties. He further submitted that if a memorial is erected for Jayalalithaa the impression one will get while visiting it would be that if one can indulge in corrupt practice and get convicted, Tamil Nadu will raise a memorial and will honour you as well.