Chennai: A petition has been filed in Madras high court seeking direction to the authorities not to set up petroleum retail outlets 100 meters from all schools attended by small children.
When the PIL was filed by B. Moorthi Madukkarai Market, Coimbatore district, came up for hearing before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar, the bench issued notice to Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the Joint Chief Controller of Explosives and directed them to file reply in three weeks.
According to the petitioner, a retail outlet is proposed to set up adjacent to a recognized school, Brindavan Vidyalaya Public School in Sundarapuram Nachipalayam Road, Madukkarai Village, Coimbatore District. About 700 students are enrolled in the school.
The counsel for petitioner VBR Menon submitted the school situated next to proposed road-side petroleum retail by Indian Oil Corporation Limited. A minimum distance of 100 meters between Petrol Pumps and Schools to avoid the health hazards associated with the dangerous petroleum vapors present in the atmosphere around Petroleum Outlets.
Posting the matter for further hearing to October 23, the bench said “We cannot but take judicial notice of the health hazards caused by evaporation of petroleum in and around retail petroleum/diesel outlets. The harmful effects of contamination at petrol stations can be felt in buildings located within 100 meters from service stations”.
