51,837 industries in Delhi under NGT scanner

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to constitute a committee to enquire about the status of 51,837 industries in the national capital which are running in residential areas without requisite approvals.

The green panel asked the apex pollution monitoring body to form a two member committee to look into the entire matter and take appropriate action in accordance with law.

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“The North Delhi Municipal Corporation, East Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation and Delhi Development Authority will co-operate and provide all assistance to the Committee constituted by the CPCB,” a bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, said.

The tribunal further directed the committee to submit its report on the issue within two months to a panel comprising former Delhi chief secretary Shailaja Chandra and retired NGT expert member Bikram Singh Sajwan.

“The committee constituted by the tribunal may take further appropriate action as may be found necessary, subject to any further order of this tribunal,” it said.

The order came after taking note of a news report published in an english daily alleging that thousands of polluting industries are being brazenly run in the city right under the nose of the authorities.

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The report had said that Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) recently listed 51,837 units operating from non-conforming/residential areas and asked the three municipal corporations to initiate action against them.

According to the news item, the industries were creating water and air pollution in the areas as they do not have license to operate.

“The analysis of the data released by DSIIDC shows most violations in Moti Nagar, Kirti Nagar, Ramesh Nagar, Najafgarh and Mansarovar Garden, all in west Delhi; Ashram, Bhogal, Jangpura, Maharani Bagh and Mahipalpur in south Delhi; Gandhi Nagar, Jheel, Shastri Nagar, Kailash Nagar, Jafrabad and Shahdara in east Delhi; and Sadar Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, Malkaganj, Ballimaran, Lal Kuan and Kashmere Gate in north Delhi.

“Other highly affected areas are Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Anand Parbat, Rohtak Road, Rajinder Nagar, Old Rajinder Nagar in central Delhi; Shahdara, GT Road, Babarpur and Vishwas Nagar in northeast Delhi; and Burari and Jagatpuri in northwest Delhi,” the report said.