NTPC's North Karanpura Plant Fire: NGT Seeks Response From Authorities

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the authorities, including the administrative head of NTPC's North Karanpura superthermal power plant in Jharkhand's Chatra district, regarding the massive fire that engulfed a unit last month.

The National Green Tribunal was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a PTI report regarding the blaze that occurred in a material yard of unit 3 of the power plant on April 19.

The installation is a 660X3 MW coal-based power plant of the NTPC, the country's largest power generation company.

In an order passed on Wednesday, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said the matter raised a 'substantial issue' regarding compliance with environmental norms.

The bench impleaded as parties or respondents authorities, including the plant’s administrative head, member secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board and the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board and the deputy commissioner or district magistrate of Chatra.

It noted that counsel for the central and state pollution board had appeared before the tribunal.

"Let notice be issued to Respondents No. 3 and and 4 (plant’s administrative head) and response be filed by the respondents,” the tribunal said.

The matter has been posted before the eastern bench of the tribunal in Kolkata on July 5.