The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took Suo Motu cognizance of the matter relating to an explosion of a boiler at a factory in Kundli town of Sonepat, Haryana, resulting in the death of two people and injuring 25 others.
The Petition is registered suo-moto on the basis of the news item dated 17.05.2024.
As per the news item, the intensity of the blast was so strong that the adjoining building was also damaged.
News item does not disclose if any compensation has been paid to the family members of the deceased victims of the explosion. Tribunal in OA No.02/2022: In re: News item published in India Today dated 26.12.2021 titled “7 dead in boiler explosion at noodle factory in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, probe ordered” dated 22.04.2022 has directed payment of compensation in a case where victim had died in a boiler blast.
Original application raises substantial issue relating to handling of Hazardous Substance, thus violating the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava , Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr. A Senthil Vel impleaded the following as respondents in the matter:
(i) Haryana State Pollution Control Board.
(ii) Central Pollution Control Board.
(iii) Deputy Commissioner, Sonepat.
The NGT issued notice to the respondents and listed the matter on 04.09.2024.