Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of In re : News item appearing in Hindustan Times dated 17.10.2023 titled “Four dead, five injured after blast in soap factory in Meerut” dated 01/11/2023.

The Original application was registered in suo-moto exercise of powers on the basis of the news item titled “Four dead, five injured after blast in soap factory in Meerut” published in Hindustan Times. As per the said news item, an explosion in a soap factory at Lohia Nagar locality, Uttar Pradesh Meerut took place in which four persons had died and five others were injured.

The report filed by the District Magistrate, Meerut said that Lohia Nagar is a residential area developed by the Meerut Development Authority but industrial activities are going on in the area and that the units were operating without requisite permissions from the competent authorities. As per the report, there is a possibility that the unit was using hazardous chemicals. The report filed by the District Magistrate, Meerut does not disclose the action which has been taken for grant of compensation to the family members of the deceased victims and to ascertain the real cause of the blast in the soap factory.

The District Magistrate requested for further time to file a report in the above matter within two weeks. The next hearing of the case is on January 16, 2024.