Supreme Court on Monday clarified that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has the right to take suo moto cognizance of the events affecting the environment. The court, however, advised the Andhra Pradesh High Court to quickly hear the company’s plea in the gas leak case in the LG Polymer Company based in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The company said that the High Court should expedite the disposal of pending petitions of LG Polymer challenging the sealing of the plant and pleading for entry into the plant.
A division bench of Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Justice MM Shantanagoudar and Justice Vineet Saran said during the hearing that the NGT has the authority to take suo motu cognizance of the events affecting the environment.
Significantly, 12 people died of suffocation due to a gas leak in the company last May. This incident was so frightening that people fainted while walking.
