NGT Slaps ₹10,000 Fine on District Magistrate for 'Misleading' Court

NGT Slaps Rs 10,000 fine on North Delhi DM for Not Following Order in Compensation Case of Victims' Family who lost their Life in the Food Processing Factory Fire.

The NGT recently imposes a fine of Rs 10,000 on the District Magistrate of North Delhi for failing to comply with an order in a compensation case of the family of victims who lost their lives in a fire at food processing factory. The factory is located in the Narela industrial area of the national capital where there was a deadly explosion and fire in June last year. The incident had killed three workers and injured three others.

It was dealing with the issue relating to the grant of compensation to the families of the victims when it came across the fact that the DM failed to comply with the directions given by the tribunal earlier. The green body showed strong disapproval over the attempt of the district magistrate to mislead it, which led to the penalty.

A legal verdict has been delivered by the bench led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and other Justices Arun Kumar Tyagi and Sudhir Agarwal, while expert member Afroz Ahmad joined in. In the verdict, it was also highlighted that DM had not given any response to the order from the tribunal by asking him to submit a report on compensation status among the dead and injured worker families. The court ordered the DM to appear virtually if the reply was not filed in time.

However, the DM did none of those and the bench was not satisfied with the explanation from the lawyer. According to the counsel for DM, the officer could not respond or even appear virtually because of "election duty," which the tribunal rejected. The notice was found to have been served to the DM, which negated the statement put forward by the counsel for DM.

Further, the bench has added that this is not a mistake of the DM to mislead the tribunal instead. Neither application was moved before the tribunal to extend time nor to be exempted from appearing virtually. In the judgment of the tribunal, the apparent violation itself incurred a fine.

On these facts, the NGT ordered that the absence or failure of the DM to file his reply indicated that the DM did not respect the orders of the tribunal and was not serious in handling the issue of compensation to the fire victims. The tribunal was expecting at least an application for extension of time or notification from the DM that he could not comply with the orders issued.

The case was based on the tragedy that had occurred during June 2024 at the food processing factory, in which three workers lost their lives, and others suffered injuries. Victim family members were expecting the compensation, and the NGT is closely observing the whole proceedings so that justice may be meted out. Unfortunately, non-compliance with the deadlines set by the tribunal and failure to meet them are the causes of delay during legal proceedings.

Due to the defaulting by the DM, the National Green Tribunal has further set the case to April 1, 2025. It emphasized that answers to legal summons should be furnished within time limits and that there will be no compromise on the non-compliance.

Conclusion:Beyond the penalty imposed, it is felt that the decision of the NGT emphasizes responsibility to address concerns over worker security and compensation. In this context, tribunals function satisfactorily as they ensure the authorities do not delay the provision of justice before the families involved, as it is due to accidents at such workplace areas where they have become bereaved. Workplace accident compensation is also an increasing problem, and one that affects Narela specifically. Campaigners have for a long time demanded better mechanisms to ensure worker safety and compensate for losses at such times of accidents.

Source: National Green Tribunal Proceedings, January 27, 2025