Item No. 01 Court No.

BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL

PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

Original Application No. 474/2024

News Item titled "Fish meal factory gutted in Mangaluru" appearing in

News18 dated 28.03.2024

Date of hearing: 29.04.2024

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON

HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER

Respondent: Mr. Devraj Ashok, Adv. for R – 1 (Through VC)

Mr. Darpan K.M & Mr. Rajat Jonathan Shaw, Advs. for R – 2 (Through
VC)

ORDER

1. This Original Application is registered suo-motu on the basis of the

news item titled "Fish meal factory gutted in Mangaluru" published in

News18 dated 28.03.2024. The news item discloses a fire incident at a

fish meal factory in Baikampady Industrial area in Bengaluru

(Karnataka). As per the article, the factory is owned by one ‘Shihar

Enterprises’. The article discloses that the fire engines were rushed to

douse the fire which had by the time spread to the other parts of the

factory. The cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained. It is required

to be seen by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), if

the unit was operating with requisite consent and approval especially

when the unit was located in CRZ area.

2. The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of the

environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled

enactment.

3. Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter suo-motu has been

recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal

Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021

SCC Online SC 897.

1
 4. Hence, we implead following as respondents in this matter:

(i) Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, through its

Member Secretary

(ii) Deputy Commissioner & District Magistrate, Mangaluru

(iii) Shihar Enterprises, through the administrative head, Plot

No. 450 & 451, Industrial Area, Baikampady, Mangalore,

Dakshina Kannada – 575 011

5. Respondent No. 1 and 2 is represented through the counsel and

they seek time to file the report. Let notice be issued to Respondent No.

3 for filing the response atleast one week before the next date of hearing

before the appropriate bench of the Tribunal.

6. Since the matter relates to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai,

therefore, OA is transferred to the Southern Zonal Bench for appropriate

further action. Office is directed to transfer the original record of the OA

to Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai.

7. List before Southern Zonal Bench at Chennai on 02.07.2024.

Prakash Shrivastava, CP

Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

April 29, 2024

Original Application No. 474/2024
AS.