Automobile workshops in Vasant Kunj under NGT lens

The National Green Tribunal today sought response from the Centre on a plea alleging inaction on the part of authorities here for allowing automobile service centres to operate in residential areas of South Delhi.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to Ministry of Environment and Forests, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and seven automobile service centres situated in Vasant Kunj here.
The directions came while hearing a plea by city resident Vishwanath Chaturvedi seeking eviction and penal action against the service centres operating "illegally and unlawfully" without any valid licence and consent.

Chaturvedi, in his plea, alleged that DPCC, despite knowing that these service centres were operating in the residential areas, has neither taken any action nor stopped entertaining their applications.
"Carbon emissions from cars in such service centres operating in the non-confirming area are deteriorating the quality of air in the residential area in which such establishments are situated. The residents are facing serious respiratory problems because of such emissions.
"Apart from respiratory problems created by such emissions, the residents are faced with serious water contamination problems. The water discharged from these service stations are untreated and contaminated. They contain traces of lead and mercury," the plea, filed through advocate Shekhar Devasa, said.

The petition said that all these polluting industrial establishments fall under the "orange category".
An industry is categorised as green, orange and red based on their pollution potential with green being the least and red being the highest.