Vizag Gas Leak: SC Adjourns Appeal Against NGT Order; Proceedings Before NGT Deferred Till Further Orders

A Bench comprising of Justices UU Lalit, Vineet Saran and S. Ravindra Bhat further directed for the proceedings before the NGT to be deferred till further orders were given and directed the Appellant to file a response to the 28^th May Inquiry Report within the next ten days.

In today's hearing, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Appellant, submitted to the Bench that the matter would require a hearing of half an hour to one hour. He sought for the matter to be listed at the end of the Board.

He further submitted to the Court that he had showed the orders of the Supreme Court to the NGT and the matter would now be taken up next week. However, Justice Lalit informed Rohatgi that it would not be possible to hear the case today.

To this, Rohatgi requested the Bench to list the case post Diwali, but to direct NGT to defer the hearing.

Justice Lalit then asked Rohatgi whether a response had been filed to the 28^th May report before the NGT. Rohatgi contended that it had not been possible to do so and post 1^st June that the report was accepted.

The Bench took note of the same and provided the Appellant a last opportunity to file the report within ten days.

The matter will now be heard on November 16, at the end of the Board.

On 8th May, the National Green Tribunal had taken suo moto cognizance against the chemical gas leak incident which had taken place at Vizag in Andhra Pradesh. A Bench of the NGT headed by Chairperson Justice A.K. Goel directed LG Polymers India Pvt. Ltd. to deposit a sum of Rs. 50 crores with the District Magistrate, Vishakhapatnam.

The NGT had also directed for the constitution of a 5-member Committee, headed by Justice B. Seshasayana Reddy, former Judge of Andhra Pradesh and instructed the Committee "to visit and inspect the site at the earliest and give its report before the next date".

These directions were challenged by LG Polymers in the SLP filed before the Apex Court.