Aether Industries fire: NGT hearing on Dec 8

“The commission has observed that the reported explosion in the tank filled with inflammable chemicals, prima facie, indicates possible negligence on the part of the factory management that requires an investigation as the incident has resulted in human rights violence of the victim workers,” NHRC stated in an official release.

Meanwhile, the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal in New Delhi will take up the case for hearing on December 8. Taking up the case suo motu, NGT has issued notices to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Collector and District Magistrate of Surat to be present for the hearing.

In addition to the deceased, 27 were injured, some critically, in the fire that broke out on November 29 in a solvent chemical tank at Aether Industries in Sachin GIDC.

A day after the accident, Aether had announced an immediate aid of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased and Rs 45 lakh more after a DNA test. The company has also disbursed Rs 35,000 to the families of the 27 labourers currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

On Monday, GPCB officials, factory inspector and FSL officials visited the accident site to collect samples to probe the cause of the fire. “Currently, we have lodged a case of accidental death into the incident,” Sachin GIDC police Inspector J R Chaudhary said.

On November 30, GPCB ordered Aether Industries to stop production at the blast-affected plant site until further instructions.