New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to review and update the existing mechanism in the state to check illegal commercial activities in hazardous substances.

The green body was hearing the matter regarding a massive blaze and explosion, which killed four and injured several others in an illegal firecracker warehouse in Sambhal district's Gunnaur township in June 2023.

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In an order dated April 22, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh is directed to review and update the existing mechanism in the state to check illegally operating commercial activities in hazardous substances, and hold a meeting with all the concerned stakeholders."

The bench also comprising judicial members Justices Sudhir Agarwal and Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member Afroz Ahmad asked the chief secretary to issue instructions after necessary deliberations for "appropriate remedial measures" to avoid incidents in future and to periodically oversee the mechanism and compliance of environmental norms.

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The tribunal said the state and its instrumentalities were "legally bound" to pay Rs 20 lakh compensation in cases of death to the victims.

"The legal heirs/dependents of the deceased, the injured and owners of the neighbouring houses damaged cannot be made to suffer due to non-availability of sufficient funds in the district administration as submitted by the District Magistrate, Sambhal," it said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)