The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed compensation of Rs 20 lakh to be awarded to the families of each of the 11 individuals who lost their lives in a fire at a paint factory located in the Alipur area of outer Delhi.
The bodies of the 11 victims, comprising 10 men and one woman, were discovered within the factory premises, which also housed chemical warehouses, in the Dayalpur market of Alipur.
Suo Motu Cognizance
The fire erupted on February 15, prompting the NGT to take suo motu cognizance based on a newspaper report detailing the tragic incident.
Joint Inspection Report
A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel highlighted findings from a joint inspection report conducted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the District Magistrate of North Delhi. The report indicated that the factory was operating illegally in a densely populated area.
Quoting from the report, the bench stated, “It is also stated that the cause of the fire incident was welding activity being carried out in the factory in the presence of drums filled with chemicals or substances. When the fire broke out inside the factory premises, chemicals fell on the roads and drains, and the fire spread rapidly even outside, resulting in the death of 11 persons and injury to four.”
Previous Compensation
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Alipur submitted a report on the compensation awarded to nine of the 11 deceased individuals.
According to the report, compensation of Rs 10 lakh was granted to the families of seven victims, while the amounts for the remaining two victims were Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively.
The tribunal opined, “We are of the opinion that family members of each of the deceased persons are entitled to receive compensation of Rs 20 lakh without prejudice to higher claim that may be raised in any other forum.” It further added, “Hence, the differential amount will be paid by SDM (Alipur) within two months with the right to recover it from the project proponent (factory owner).”
