The National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu cognizance of a news article published on December 3, 2024, regarding the death of four workers due to a storage tank explosion at an industrial unit in Ankleshwar GIDC area of Bharuch district in Gujarat.
The NGT registered an original application based on the news article and issued notices to various respondents, including the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and on private Ltd.
The NGT observed that the news article raises substantial issues relating to compliance with the provisions of the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Principal Bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Dr. A. Senthil Vel, Expert Member, noted that it has the power to take up the matter suo motu, as recognized by the Supreme Court in the case of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.
The NGT referred to its previous orders in similar cases, where it had directed the payment of compensation to the victims’ families.
In one such case, the Tribunal had awarded a compensation of Rs. 20 lakhs to the heirs of the deceased.
The NGT also observed that the scale of compensation should be based on the principle of restitution, guided by the Supreme Court’s judgments in Sarla Verma and Uphaar cases.
The NGT has directed the respondents to file their responses/replies by way of affidavit before the Western Zonal Bench, Pune, at least one week before the next date of hearing.
The matter has been listed for hearing on February 6, 2025.
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