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Showing contexts for: construction collapse in P.N. Kanagaraj vs The Chief Secretary on 18 November, 2008Matching Fragments
(viii) In 2004 WLR 346 (Smt.R.Dhanalakshmi v. Government of Tamil Nadu), Honourable Mr.Justice D.Murugesan, ordered to pay a sum of Rs.9,00,000/- to the legal heir of a person, who was killed while in custody.
(ix) In 2001 WLR 174 (C. Chinnathambi and others v. State of T.N. & Others) Honourable Mr.Justice V.S.Sirpurkar, (as he then was) awarded compensation of Rs.1,50,000/- with 12% interest per annum to each of the parents of two School Students who died when a water tank broke and fell on them. In the said decision in paragraph 5, the responsibilities of the school authorities are emphasised, which reads thus, "5. Right of life enunciated in Article 21 has time and again been recognised by the Supreme Court and in its various ramifications. This was a case where the two innocent children had gone to the school and the accident actually took place during school hours. Even if it is considered that the said tank was constructed by the Parent Teachers Association it was undoubtedly the responsibility of the School authorities to see that the tank was properly constructed and erected and that it should not have been hazardous to the lives of the children. There can be no dispute that in this case school authorities have not been careful enough to see that the construction was proper and in keeping with the rules. It beats one's understanding as to how a tank which was constructed early in 1983-84 would collapse all of a sudden within eight years of its construction i.e., on 12.10.1992. The things do speak for themselves. There can be least doubt that the school authorities were not vigilant in their duties and that this being the Government School the Government would have a liability. There is no dispute that two young lives have perished predominantly because of the lack of care on the part of the school authorities. In my opinion the compensation of Rs.5000/- by way of ex gratia payment would be a cruel joke. The petitioners have claimed the compensation of Rs.1,50,000/- each in their writ petitions."