The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo moto cognisance of the reactor blast in a pharma unit at Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli, where at least 17 people died, and 36 people were injured last week. On August 21, a reactor exploded at Escientia Advanced Sciences Private Limited at Atchutapuram Special Economic Zone. Preliminary investigation has revealed that leakage of a solvent led to the reactor blast, resulting in a huge fire. Taking suo moto cognisance, a Bench headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said that it was required to ascertain if the pharma unit was complying with environmental norms and if compensation has been paid to the injured and to the families of the deceased. The NGT said that the accident raised “substantial issues relating to compliance of environmental norms.”
The green tribunal impleaded Central Pollution Control Board, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Andhra Pradesh’s Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health and Anakapalli’s District Magistrate as respondent parties to the matter. It asked authorities to file their reply before the Southern Zonal Bench of the NGT before September 23. “Since the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal, therefore, the OA (original application) is transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai for appropriate further action,” it said. “If any of the respondents (authorities) directly files the reply without routing it through his advocate then the said respondent will remain virtually present to assist the Tribunal,” the order said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs 1 crore ex-gratia each for the families of those killed, Rs 50 lakh compensation each for the critically injured and Rs 25 lakh each for those who sustained simple injuries. CM Naidu assured the injured that the state government would bear the expenses of their treatment, adding that steps would be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.