NGT directs Delhi Government to shut down 4,774 industries in residential areas immediately
[ By Kavita Krishnan ]The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi government to shut down 4,774 industrial units running in residential areas with immediate effect.A report was filed by an Oversight Committee, headed by former Justice Pratibha Rani, according to which show cause notices have been issued to 4,774 industrial units located in residential areas in different...
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi government to shut down 4,774 industrial units running in residential areas with immediate effect.
A report was filed by an Oversight Committee, headed by former Justice Pratibha Rani, according to which show cause notices have been issued to 4,774 industrial units located in residential areas in different municipal corporations in Delhi. After perusal of the report, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel passed the order.
However, the Delhi Chief Secretary told the NGT that show cause procedure is unnecessary in view of the orders of the Supreme Court.
All industrial units that had been illegally restarted were directed to be closed by the NGT forthwith in terms of order of the Supreme Court without any further procedure of show cause notice and noted that coercive measures in terms of recovery of compensation for illegal operation of such units would be adopted in accordance with law, apart from initiation of prosecution.
The green panel further held that on failing to abide by the directions issued by the NGT would attract coercive action against the responsible municipal commissioner of the said corporation including entry in their ACR column and stoppage of salary.
The tribunal also directed to complete the pending work of survey of all 29,877 units and action be taken before December 31, 2019 and status report filed on or before January 15, 2020 by e-mail.
The NGT had earlier appointed a committee headed by a former Delhi High Court judge to deal with nearly 52,000 industrial units which are operating illegally in residential areas of Delhi.
The tribunal had earlier taken note of a news report published in an English daily alleging thousands of polluting industries being brazenly run in the city. The report had also mentioned 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 the cause of water and air pollution in the national capital as they did not have license to operate.