By IANS,
Chennai : A one-man judicial commission probing safety standards at a crowded commercial district in the city examined several encroachments on a street where a fire mishap at a supermarket last month killed two employees.
The commission, headed by retired judge A. Ramamurthy, was appointed by the Madras High Court.
The chief engineer of the Chennai Municipal Corporation reportedly pointed out encroachments measuring up to 12 feet on a street at the edge of Ranganathan Street.
The court had ordered the enquiry commission following allegations by a citizen that there were several illegal commercial encroachments on Ranganathan Street – the scene of the fire mishap.
Three owners and two employees of the supermarket who were arrested for culpable homicide have since been released on bail.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had said the street encroachments had come in the way of the fire brigade’s attempts to put out the fire.
The commission is scheduled to submit its report next month.
The Supreme Court had twice ordered demolition of illegal buildings in the commercial district, but the state government postponed it by promulgating ordinances.