Expressing disappointment with National Green Tribunal, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed an order that constituted a six-member committee to fix responsibility for the failures of the concerned individuals in the fire incident in Assam's Baghjan oil well.
The top court said Oil India Ltd (OIL) was accused of polluting the wetlands, but its MD was made a member of the inquiry Committee.
"We are wholly disappointed by the manner in which the NGT has pushed this issue out of its hand. It's the National Green Tribunal. It should not have done this," the bench said.
The top court stayed February 19 the NGT order which said, "OIL cannot disown its responsibility on the fire incident in Assam's Baghjan oil well by shifting the blame on the contractor and constituted a fresh six-member committee to fix responsibility for the failures of the concerned individuals in the present incident".
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Petroleum, Oil India and others while seeking their response on the appeal.
The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by activist Bonani Kakkar challenging the February 19 order.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel had said it "prima facie" agrees that there was failure of OIL in taking safety precautions and there is need for ensuring that such incidents do not recur.
Well number 5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district, had been spewing gas uncontrollably and it caught fire on June 9 last year, killing two of OIL's firefighters on the site.
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