The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took Suo Motu cognizance of a major fire in a perfume warehouse that broke out on the outskirts of Bengaluru in which three people including the owner of perfume warehouse have died and five others have been injured.
The Petition is registered suo-moto on the basis of the news item appearing in the daily newspaper dated 19.02.2024.
The news item discloses that an old house was converted into a perfume warehouse where the fire broke out. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. It reveals that in that premises inflammable materials were stocked.
The facts disclosed in the news item reveal that there is a possibility of involvement of hazardous substance in the accident and violation of the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A Senthil Vel impleaded the following as respondents in the matter:
i. Member Secretary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.
ii. District Magistrate, Bengaluru.
iii. Regional Officer, Central Pollution Control Board, Bengaluru.
Since the matter relates to the Southern Zone Bench, Chennai, therefore , the Bench transferred the matter to the Southern Zone Bench for appropriate further action. Office is directed by the NGT to transfer the original record to the Southern Zone Bench and the matter is listed on 19.04.2024.