The National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi, transferred the Original Application (OA) to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai for appropriate further action, as the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal. The OA was registered suo motu on the basis of the news item titled “Three killed in fireworks unit explosion in T.N.’s Sivakasi”, appearing in The Hindu dated 22.07.2025, which highlighted the death of three workers and injuries to three others in an explosion at Sri Mariammal Fireworks and Amorces in Naranapuram, near Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.
The Bench comprising Mr. Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, Dr. A. Senthil Vel, Expert Member, and Dr. Afroz Ahmad, Expert Member directed that notice be issued to the respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal at least one week prior to the next date of hearing. It was further directed that if any respondent chooses to file the reply directly without routing it through their advocate, they shall remain virtually present to assist the Tribunal.
The matter indicates the violation of the provisions of Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Tribunal’s power to take up matters suo moto has been recognized by the Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha, 2021 SCC Online SC 897. The Tribunal in similar circumstances referred to its earlier decision in the case titled “At least 19 dead in Virudhunagar firecracker factory blast, more than 30 injured” published in The Indian Express, where compensation was awarded based on the restitution principle. It had directed Rs20 lakhs for each deceased, Rs15 lakhs for victims with burns over 50%, rs 10 lakhs for burns between 25-50%, Rs5 lakhs for injuries between 5-25%, and rs 2 lakhs for minor injuries.
Accordingly, the Tribunal impleaded the Central Pollution Control Board, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and the District Collector, Virudhunagar, as respondents in the matter. The case was listed for hearing before the Southern Zonal Bench at Chennai on 23.09.2025, and the Tribunal directed that the original record of the OA be transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai.