HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has pulled up the State Government over its delay in filing the status report and expressed its displeasure over the handling of the Beas tragedy, in which 24 students from a V.N.R. Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology in Hyderabad were drowned in the gushing River after sudden release of water from the Larji dam.

A division bench comprising of acting Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan shown displeasure to the government on handling of the tragedy and asked it to be ready to pay a heavy interim compensation to the families of the victims.

High Court has fixed next date of hearing on June 19 and directed the official heading the inquiry to be present in the court.

The court also directed the management of the Larji dam to submit a separate status report on whether norms were followed in releasing water. It has asked them to submit log sheets and registers on the water release.

The court issued a notice to the principal of the Engineering Institute.

Earlier, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of news reports Beas tragedy in Mandi district after sudden release of water from the Larji dam.