Expressing serious concern over the Nayagarh Anganwadi mishap in which seven children died due to wall collapse last week, the Orissa High Court while taking up at least two PILs on the incident issued notices to the state government to file counters within a week.

Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda and Justice S K Mishra taking up the petitions, filed by social activist and advocate Prabir Das and another city-based voluntary organisation, observed yesterday that the matter was very serious and ordered that notices be issued to the respondents immediately.

The respondents in the writs include the state chief secretary, secretaries of Women and Child Development and School and Mass Education, Nayagarh Collector, SP and DSWO, CDPO of Ranapur and the local police inspector.

Das in his petition had prayed for criminal proceedings against all the government officials for whose alleged negligence the mishap took place killing seven innocent children.

He had also urged the High Court to direct the state government to order an impartial enquiry into the incident and identify the erring officials.