Death of 2 workers in Gujarat gas leak: NGT issues notice to authorities

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a response from the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and others in a matter involving the death of two workers due to a toxic gas leak in a Gujarat factory.

The NGT was hearing the issue after taking suo-motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report, according to which two workers died and seven were hospitalised after inhaling toxic fumes in a textile factory in Ahmedabad's Narol industrial area on October 27.

The report said the gas leak occurred while the spent acid, used in the printing and dyeing process, was being transferred into a tank.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The above news item attracts the provisions of the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986."

In the order dated November 7, the bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, said it was not clear whether compensation was paid to the victims' family members.

Observing that the matter raised a "substantial issue" regarding compliance with environmental norms, the bench impleaded as parties or respondents the MoEFCC, the Central Pollution Control Board, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the Ahmedabad district magistrate.

"Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply," the tribunal said.

The matter has been posted for hearing before the tribunal's western zonal bench in Pune on December 20.