National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995

4. Application for claim for compensation

(1) An application for claim for compensation may be made-

(a) by the person who has sustained the injury;

(b) by the owner of the property to which the damage has been caused;

(c) where death has resulted from the accident, by all or any of the legal representatives  of the deceased;

(d) by any agent duly authorized by such person or owner of such property or all or any of the legal representatives of the deceased, as the case may be;

(e) by any representative body or organization, functioning in the field of environment and recognized in this behalf by the Central Government, under all or any of the heads specified in the Schedule; or

(f) by the Central Government or a State Government or a local authority under all or any of the heads specified in the Schedule;

Provided that where all the legal representatives of the deceased have not joined in any such application for compensation, the application shall be made on behalf of or for the benefit of all the legal representatives of the deceased and the legal representatives who have not so joined shall be impleaded as respondents to the application.

(2) The Tribunal may, if it thinks fit, take up the cases for claims for compensation suo motu .

(3) Any claimant making an application under sub-section (1) may also make an application before the Tribunal for such relief as is provided in the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;

Provided that no such application shall be made if the relief has been received by the claimant earlier or an application made by the claimant to the Collector under the said Act is pending and has not been withdrawn.

(4) The Tribunal shall have, and exercise, the same jurisdiction, powers and authority in respect of the matters specified in the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 as the Collector has and may exercise and, for this purpose, the provisions of that Act shall have effect subject to the modification that the references therein to the Collector shall be construed as including a reference to the Tribunal.

(5) Every application under sub-section (1) shall be made to the Tribunal and shall contain such particulars and shall be accompanied by such documents and such fee, not exceeding one thousand rupees, as may be prescribed;

Provided that no fee shall be payable by a person whose annual income is below the prescribed limit or by a representative body or organization referred to in clause (e) of sub-section (1) or by the Central Government, a State Government or a local authority.

(6) No application for compensation shall be entertained unless it is made within five years of the   occurrence of the accident.

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