The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday formed an eight-member fact-finding committee to look into the death of 11 people due to a gas leak in Ludhiana district of Punjab on April 30. The NGT also directed the District Magistrate, Ludhiana, to ensure payment of ₹20 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased.
While seeking a report by June 30, the NGT said the fact-finding committee was free to function online or offline as the situation may warrant.
The 11 victims, including three children, died after inhaling toxic gas in the thickly-populated Giaspura locality on Sunday. High levels of hydrogen sulphide was detected in the air and authorities suspect it to have emanated from a sewer. All the deceased belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Giaspura has a very high migrant population with several industrial and residential buildings located in the area.
The NGT took suo motto cognisance of the matter based on media reports. The eight-member committee will be headed by the Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board.
“We are of the view that intervention of this Tribunal is called for under Section 15 of the NGT Act for which it is necessary to ascertain the cause of the incident and remedial action taken and required, including measures to prevent such incidents in future and to compensate the victims by way of adequate compensation,” the order read.
The green court said that the State has to pay compensation in absence of identified private operators and the State can recover the same from persons found responsible. “The State is under obligation to ensure compliance of environmental norms for safety of citizens. The compensation has to be paid within one month,” the NGT order said.
Following the incident, the Ludhiana administration announced ₹2 lakh-compensation for the next of kin of the deceased..
