We have issued closure direction to unit, imposed Rs 50 lakh compensation: GPCB to NGT on Surat Chemical Fire
Dec 07, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 7 : The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday that it has issued closure direction to unit with immediate effect and imposed Rs 50 lakh interim Environmental Damage Compensation (EDC) in connection with the massive blast last week in a storage tank and subsequent fire in a chemical manufacturing factory in Surat which killed several workers.
The Gujarat Pollution Control Board through its Action Taken Report stated that after the incident, several directions have also been issued. According to the report, the factory unit shall comply with Directorate of Industrial safety and Health (DISH) direction and submit its compliance report and submit safety audit report and HAZOP study report.
It is also directed to collect and dispose generated wastewater, burned/ partially burned material due to fire incident in a scientific manner and submit details.
Unit shall carry out and submit final environment damage assessment report from reputed technical institute i.e. NEERI/IIT and unit shall not carry out any production activity without prior permission of the Board, stated Action Taken Report.
Report submitted also stated that the District Collector and Magistrate, Surat, constituted a Joint Committee of Directorate of Industrial safety and Health (DISH), Chief Fire Officer Surat
Municipal Corporation (SMC), Regional Officer GPCB Surat, Police Inspector, Sachin GIDC, Surat and their investigation is going on.
On November 29, several people sustained injuries after a fire broke out at a chemical factory in Surat, Gujarat.
A storage tank blast killed seven people and injured 24 at one of the company's plants in the port city in Gujarat state, Aether Industries confirmed.
