Revenue Secretary to inquire death of 11 persons

Chennai: Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji on Wednesday announced in the Assembly that a one-man commission headed by Revenue Secretary Kumar Jayant will investigate the death of 11 persons.

“Chief Minister MK Stalin has appointed Revenue Secretary to investigate the incident and to suggest that no such incidents happen in the future,” said Senthilbalaji.

Replying to the urgent calling attention motion introduced by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, Senthilbalaji said that the accident happened due to the decorated wings in the top portion of the ‘chapparam’ coming into contact with the 33 KV HT line for 0.19 seconds after which the line immediately tripped. However, due to the generator kept in the ‘chapparam’ for providing power to the lights the fire started to spread engulfing the 11 lives. Though locals poured water to stop the fire there was no relief as the fire already destroyed a major portion of the temple car.

HR&CE Minister PK Sekarbabu, in his reply, said that there was no information given to the state government about the temple festival and even the concerned Appar Temple is not under the control of HR&CE. He also said that details of such temples will be collected and all temple festivals will be monitored in the future.

Highways and PWD Minister EV Velu, while replying to the allegations of Palaniswami, said that the road responsible for the death of 11 persons which is 207 mm tall was laid during the AIADMK rule. Palaniswami claimed that a taller road was responsible for the top of the ‘chapparam’ coming into contact with the electric cable.

Earlier, Stalin moved a condolence resolution in the Assembly following which the entire Assembly condoled the death of 11 persons. Stalin announced that Rs 5 lakh will be given per family of the deceased and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was sent immediately to the spot to investigate the incident.