NGT for action against toxic industries in residential areas

New Delhi: Observing that industrial units operating in residential areas are one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi, the National Green Tribunal has issued directions to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to submit complete list of hazardous units located in Vishwas Nagar area in the capital. A bench headed by Justice U.D. Salvi, which had earlier sought BSES Yamuna’s response over snapping of electricity supply to such units, ordered DPCC to categorise industries on the basis of pollution caused by them in the environment. “We direct the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to place before us a list of polluting and hazardous industries in Vishwas Nagar and to apprise us, as to the classification of polluting and hazardous industries,” the bench said.

During the proceedings, lawyers appearing for association of industries in Vishwas Nagar apprised the bench about the Delhi high court order directing appointment of a committee to carry out a survey and decide whether all such industries should be shifted out or not. The matter is now listed for next hearing on December 21. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by local resident S.N. Rohatgi, who had approached green panel against industrial units operating in the area seeking their immediate closure on the ground that these industries were causing air and noise pollution.

The tribunal had earlier cracked the whip on industries located in the city’s residential areas with a direction to close them for discharging untreated toxic waste in drains leading to Yamuna. The Delhi high court was earlier informed by the city government that more than 1,500 industrial units at Vishwas Nagar area were engaged in hazardous activity.

According to a survey carried out by a joint inspection committee, out of a total 3,604 units in the area, 1,509 were commercial, 134 are permissible as per Master Plan Delhi — 2021, nine are impermissible, 1383 are engaged in polluting activity, 179 in hazardous activity and 390 were found to be closed.