The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed authorities to provide reasons and consider objections raised by the public while granting No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to set up fuel outlets in residential areas.
The bench’s directions came on three separate applications relating to the setting up of fuel pumps in residential areas in Chennai, Tiruchirapalli and Kanniyakumari. The bench said in some cases, residential areas had not been classified by zoning regulations, and certain areas were kept as non-planning areas.
“There is no clarity in the guidelines given in such cases or what should be the distance criteria to be adopted for the purpose of establishing a new fuel retail outlet, and this is likely being exploited by the oil marketing companies (OMLs). This will affect the very purpose of providing siting criteria for the establishment of fuel outlets,” the bench said.
