Observing frequent accidents resulting in deaths and injuries in chemical factories, National Green Tribunal has directed Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories (UT) to evolve a mechanism to ensure that the companies dealing with hazardous substance must forthwith pay compensation for deaths and injuries to the victims at least as per Workmen Compensation Act, 1923 wherever applicable or the principle of restitution laid down in this regard.
A National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also directed to conduct safety audits of all establishments having potential for such accidents and said that all states and UT may also ensure availability of healthcare facilities in the vicinity of such establishments.
"In view of frequent accidents resulting in deaths and injuries, the Chief Secretaries of all 

the States/UTs may evolve a mechanism to ensure that the companies dealing with hazardous substance must forthwith pay compensation for deaths and injuries to the victims at least as per Workmen Compensation Act, 1923 wherever applicable or the principle of restitution laid down in Sarla Verma (supra), National Insurance Company Ltd. v. Pranay Sethi, (2017) 16 SCC 680 to the victims either directly or through the District Magistrate," the NGT said. The NGT further stated that the pollution control board and District Magistrates (DMs) must assess the cost of restoration of the environment which should be recovered from the company and spent on restoration.