Guj HC registers suo motu PIL on Surat accident that killed 15

The Gujarat High Court hasregistered a suo motu public interest litigation in connectionwith an accident which killed 15 migrant workers in Suratdistrict on January 19.

In the early hours of January 19, a truck ran over 15people, including a one-year-old girl and eight women,sleeping on a pavement along Kim-Mandvi road.

A High Court bench comprising Chief Justice VikramNath and Justice A J Shastri, on January 27, registered a PILwith cause title ''to regulate road discipline and to giveshelter to weaker section'', and issued notices to fivegovernment entities.

The notices were issued to the chief secretary,additional chief secretaries of Home and Ports and Transportdepartments, principal secretary of Labour and Employmentdepartment and transport commissioner.

The bench noted that, after the mishap, senioradvocate Anshin Desai had written a letter to HC to register asuo motu PIL ''so as to monitor certain important issuestouching the life and liberty of the weaker sections and alsoto deal with their valuable right to housing, right to shelterand right to life being the fundamental rights guaranteedunder the Constitution''.

Some of the suggestions mentioned in the letter, andincorporated in the order, are strict compliance of vehiclefitness certificates, fixing responsibilities of high rankingtransport officials, and contractors be made responsible toprovide housing and other amenities to migrant labourers.

Desai further said state and municipal corporationshave constitutional as well as statutory duty to provideresidential accommodation to the poor and weaker sections.

The HC kept further hearing on the PIL for February 8.

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