Vizag: The National Green Tribunal has Suo motto taken up the Gas leak case in Vishakapatnam where the hazardous gas leaked from South Korean company L G Gas led to death of 12 persons and ledtscores of people affected.
The National Green Tribunal for the first time slapped an interim fine of Rs 50 crore to the South Korean company which has to be deposited under the “Polluters Pay Principle”
The National Green Tribunal (NGT,) also set up a five member Committee under formerAPHigh Court Judge Justice B Seshasayana Reddy to assess the cause of failure and to identify the persons or authorities responsible for the catastrophe and to fix the liability.
“Leakage of the hazardous gas at such a scale affecting public health and environment, clearly attracts the principle of ‘srict liability’ against the enterprise engaged in hazardous or inherently dangerous industry”said the bench headed by National Green Tribunal Chairman Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel.
Releasing the NGT copy order here Prof K Purshotham Reddy Environmentalist welcomed the NGT initiative as Suo motto and appreciated the interim order which directs the South Korean company L G Polymers to deposit Rs 50 crores with District Magistrate Vishakapatnam.Prof Purshotham Reddy said that the Company depositing such amount under “Polluters Pay Principle ” is a very well established by several Supreme Court Landmark Judgements he said.
However a thorough enquiry into the damages done to the Eastern Ghats shouybe taken into consideration he said.Even the cost of restoring the damage to the Eastern Ghats Eco System that also the Company will have to pay he demanded.
Prof Purshotham Reddy justified the NGT orderand hoped that the truth will come out and responsibilities fixed.
Ratna Chotrani