'Steel pickling units must have pollution control, Jal Board approval'

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Monday said the steel pickling factories in Delhi, which have been ordered to either shift or close down by the high court, cannot operate without necessary no-objection certificates (NOCs).

Such factories need approvals from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). Pickling is a process of surface treatment, to remove impurities, such as stains or inorganic contaminants from the metal.

"Steel pickling work comes under the negative list, and thus the decision by the Delhi High Court dated Nov 11, 2013 stands, where it said that these factories will have to either shut down or move out of the National Capital Territory of Delhi after three years, starting Sep 29, 2013.

"Further to the court's decision, the NGT bench has decided that for these three years, the units cannot operate without taking necessary NoC and approvals from DPCC and DJB," the bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatantra Kumar said.

The NGT bench also asked the DPCC to file a report by Feb 25, on the status of applications by these factories, and also what action it took to close down factories without approvals.

The non-governmental All India Lokadhikar Sangathan had approached the NGT in July last year, and the panel ruled the next month that these units at Wazirpur (north Delhi) must be closed down with immediate effect. It has also said in its ruling, dated Aug 2, that these units may run their business only when they acquire all the necessary approvals from the DPCC.

The NGO, however, said that these pickling units are doing their business without receiving any clearance from DPCC, thereby openly disobeying the NGT's ruling.

The NGT has now also asked the DPCC to respond to the NGO's affidavit, in which it submitted a list of 81 factories, other than pickling plants, that are also polluting the Yamuna river.

The DPCC has been asked to file both the responses by Feb 25.