Gasleak: HC stays SDM order against entry of containers in ICD

The Delhi High Court today stayed a sub-divisional magistrate's (SDM) order directing that no fresh containers be allowed at the Tughlakabad container depot here, from where a chemical gas leak had recently led to 450 girl students being hospitalised.
Justice Ashutosh Kumar also put on hold the south-east district SDM's direction issued today that all the containers stored at the site be released in a phased manner.
The court's order came on a plea by the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), which operates the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Tughlakabad, challenging the SDM's directions that were issued today.
CONCOR, represented by Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand and advocate Snidha Mehra, argued before the court that lot of containers are inbound to the depot from various places and stopping them mid-way would cause logistic problems and chaos.

The court issued notice to the Delhi government, represented by its senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, and sought its reply to CONCOR's plea before May 11, the next date of hearing.
It also asked the ICD to give details of the number of containers at the site and the contents of the same on the next date.

The SDM's directive came after Delhi government had ordered a magisterial probe into the May 6 incident when around 450 girl students of a nearby school were hospitalised after toxic fumes spread due to a chemical leakage at the container depot.
The SDM in his order passed today has also directed removal of all material -- all obnoxious chemical or gas, any explosive material and any other material which could cause a health hazard to the public in the vicinity.

He has asked the authorities to immediately submit a disaster management plan to mitigate any emergency that may occur.
The SDM has also asked CONCOR to file an undertaking that no container having obnoxious chemical or gas or explosive, which may lead to any disaster, would be allowed at the site.