Chandigarh: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is strict on the death of 11 people due to poisonous gas in Ludhiana, Punjab. The NGT on Tuesday said it is the duty of the state to ensure compliance of environmental norms for the safety of citizens.
Based on media reports, the NGT took suo motu cognisance of the incident. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel constituted an eight-member fact-finding joint committee. It will be headed by the Chairman of the Punjab State Pollution Control Board.
The NGT directed the Ludhiana district magistrate to pay Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the 11 people who died after inhaling the poisonous gas.
On Sunday morning, there was a gas leak in Giaspura, a densely populated area of Ludhiana.
In this accident, 11 people including three children were killed. Five of the victims belonged to the same family. The 11 deceased were from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Giaspura has a very high migrant population. Investigations revealed high levels of hydrogen sulfide in the air and officials suspect it to have originated from a sewer.
Following the incident, the Punjab government had announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the affected persons. At the same time, the central government also announced similar financial assistance.