Worker's death after molten slag fell on him in Chhattisgarh: NGT issues notice to Jindal Steel

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to Jindal Steel and Power Limited in connection with the death of a worker after hot or molten slag allegedly fell on him at the company's steel plant in Patrapali village in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh.

The NGT was hearing an application registered on the basis of a news report published by PTI on August 22 regarding the worker's death.

The application raised an apprehension of non-compliance with environmental laws in the process of disposal of slag, a byproduct of steel manufacturing.

In an order passed on Thursday, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board had filed a reply without touching the aspect of handling slag, which was the cause of the accident in the present case.

"In this context, the guidelines prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to deal with the handling and management of slag generated from pyro-metallurgical operations in iron and steel industries need to be referred," the bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said.

"Hence, at this stage, we deem it proper to issue notice. The registry of the tribunal is directed to serve the project proponent i.e, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Patrapali village, Raigarh," it added.

The principal bench of the green panel said as the matter pertained to the Central Zone bench of the tribunal in Bhopal, it was being transferred for "appropriate further action".

According to police, payload operator Chini Lal Patel died on August 22 due to serious burns after molten slag from the furnace fell on him.