The judicial commission that probed the 2016 Puttingal fireworks accident, which claimed 110 lives, has blamed the Kollam district administration and the police for compromising on public safety and permitting the fireworks.
Though the report prepared by P.S. Gopinathan, former judge of the Kerala High Court, was submitted to the State government a few months ago, it has not been tabled in the State Assembly so far.
The panel has reportedly pulled up the temple committee for organising the massive fireworks display without ensuring even minimum safety standards. It has also blamed the contractor of the fireworks for negligence, and the administrative lapses of the police, district administration, Fire and Rescue Services and the PCB for failing to comply with various rules.
The report was critical of the police as the panel found that there was only minimal presence of law enforcement officials on temple premises.
