Thripunithura blast: NGT gives last chance to submit action taken report

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has yet again given an opportunity to the Ernakulam District Collector to file the action taken report on the explosion that claimed two lives and injured several others at a temporary firecracker storage unit at Choorakadu, Thripunithura, on February 12, 2024.

The Southern Bench of the tribunal said in its order dated July 23, 2025, that the “District Collector, Ernakulam, has not filed the report despite being granted several opportunities. Considering the fact that the matter pertains to the year 2024, a final opportunity is granted to file the report,” it added.

The Principal Bench of the tribunal in New Delhi had initially taken suo motu notice of the report published in The Hindu on the tragedy. It had directed the Collector and the authorities to ensure that the payment of compensation was made expeditiously to the family members of the deceased victims and also the injured in accordance with rules, preferably within a period of eight weeks. The case was later transferred to the Southern Bench.

The Bench comprising Pushpa Sathyanarayana, judicial member, and Satyagopal Korlapati had issued an order on April 25, 2025, stating that the Collector had not yet filed the report despite several opportunities being offered. “As a last chance, let the matter be listed on July 23, 2025,” it said.

The district authorities had filed a report before the tribunal stating that they were yet to receive a response from the government regarding the award of compensation, as it involved a substantial amount. The tribunal had ordered the release of ₹20 lakh to the family of the deceased and ₹10 lakh to the injured, they said.