Interim stay on high decibel fireworks

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala High Court has issued an interim stay on use of high decibel pyrotechnics during night.

The Devaswom Bench of the Court issued the order considering a letter written by sitting judge of the Court V. Chidambaresh as public interest litigation.

The stay will apply to use of crackers that cause intense noise at night between sunset and sunrise. There will not be any bar on use of fireworks that yield colourful displays.

The Court will pronounce final order on April 14.

The Court criticised the police for failure to stop the fireworks display at Paravoor Puttingal Devi temple despite ban order issued by the Additional District Magistrate. The Court also asked whether the enquiry into the fireworks accident by Crime Branch would suffice.  Someone seemed to have tried to undermine the Magistrate’s order.

The Court suggested that the government may consider handing over the investigation into the accident to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Strict action needed to be taken against those found guilty of dereliction of duty.

The Assistant Solicitor General, who appeared for the Central government, informed the Court that seven rules had been broken by the organisers of the fireworks at the temple. Security measures were not taken. The organisers had used chemicals that were not freely available in the market.  There was no permission to store the explosives. The Centre might order its own enquiry into it.

The Police informed the Court that the crime scene has been sealed. They could not provide information on the quantity of explosives stocked at the temple.

The Court asked the police and the revenue authorities to file separate affidavits.

Meanwhile, the toll of the accident rose to 111 with the contractor of the fireworks Surendran succumbing to injuries.