Delhi Cong targets AAP govt over sealing of 'non-polluting household industries'

The Congress's Delhi unit attacked the AAP government on Wednesday, claiming that its officials were issuing sealing notices to "non-polluting household industries" in the city under the garb of a Supreme Court order.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is as much responsible for the ongoing sealing drive in the city as the BJP-led central government, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said.

He claimed sub-divisional magistrates of the Delhi government "are issuing notices under CrPc Section 133 and are sealing non-polluting industries under the garb of the Supreme Court order", mandating action against unauthorised structures in the national capital.

Displaying a notice purportedly issued by the Vivek Vihar SDM, he said the notice "exposes" the "real face of the AAP government" that has been shifting blame solely on municipal corporations for the plight of people due to the ongoing sealing drive.

"Both the Centre and the Delhi government can easily give relief to the people by changing definition of non-polluting household industries and save them from sealing action. It could be done even without amendment in the Master Plan of Delhi," Maken claimed.

Maken also claimed that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Industries Minister had "promised" to change the definition of household industries in an all-party meeting held in March, but nothing was done by the government.

Senior Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely said there were provisions in the Master Plan 2021 through which the government can make changes at any time.

"By changing the definition of household industries, the electricity connection load should be increased from 5kv to 11kv and the number of workers from 5 to 11," he demanded.

Congress leader Mukesh Sharma, who leads the party's campaign against the sealing drive 'Nyay Yudh', said, "We will intensify agitation if the Delhi government or the Centre does not do the needful to stop sealing by October 15.