The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on the Railways for not filing a report on the gas leak that took place near Tughlakabad container depot in May last year.
A Bench headed by NGT Acting Chairperson Jawad Rahim pulled up authorities for not submitting information pertaining to the gas leak from a container stationed outside the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Tughlakabad.
The tribunal noted that despite the matter being directly related to the containers of the railways, it failed to submit the data.
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The directions came after the Bench was told that the Railways needs more time to file its reply.
Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand informed the Bench that a similar matter was pending in the Delhi High Court and a probe was being conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
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‘Environmental issue’
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“We have taken note of the High Court observation but its jurisdiction has no bearing on the jurisdiction of the tribunal pertaining to environmental issues... we intend to proceed independently from the point of view of the environment,” the Bench said.
On May 6, 2017, gas leak from one of the containers stationed near the ICD led to over 400 children being hospitalised.
Soon after the incident, the NGT took suo motu cognisance of the matter and asked the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the DDA and others to file their response.
The counsel appearing for the DDA has said that the land does not belong to the urban body.
On March 22, the NGT had reserved its judgment on a plea seeking directions to the ICD to not allow containers that were not Delhi-bound.