THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An inquiry by the centre in the Paravur Puttingal temple firework tragedy that claimed 110 lives on April 10 has exposed serious lapses by the revenue officials, right from delayed decision on the application for firework to enforcement. The police were also held responsible for lapses in the effective enforcement of the ban.
The inquiry conducted by the joint chief controller of explosives, Mr A.K. Yadav, pointed out that even as there were enough reasons for rejecting the application submitted by the Puttingal devaswom managing committee on February 23, 2016 seeking permission for the firework display, the decision not to grant the permission was taken only on April 8, a day ahead of the firework scheduled for April 9. By that time the temple authorities had made all arrangements for the firework display, as they were given permission for fireworks during the previous years.
“The refusal order should have been issued at an earlier date and wide publicity could have been given by the district magistrate through visual and print media regarding the denial of licence. This could have prevented a large number of people gathering on the temple premises to witness the display,” said the report. The police were accused of lapses in taking measures to prevent the temple authorities from going ahead with the firework, even as the district police administration was aware of the refusal of the licence by the district magistrate.
“The firework was conducted in the presence of police personnel, Kollam tahasildar and Paravur village officer. Lack of communication between the police and the district administration was evident from the deposition of the tahasildar and the Paravur circle inspector,” said the report. Even as Chief Minister Pinarayai Vijayan recently accused the then state police chief T.P. Senkumar of trying to justify the police officials, the centre's inquiry report corroborates the stand of Mr Senkumar that the police personnel alone could not be held responsible for the tragedy.
