HC asks DPCC not to take coercive steps against Mayapuri traders

The Delhi High Court Monday asked the city's pollution control committee not to take any coercive step against over 800 traders, who have been asked to pay Rs 1 lakh each in damages for causing pollution by engaging in scrapping activity in west Delhi's Mayapuri.

Violence broke out in the area on April 13 when officials reached there along with a large contingent of police and paramilitary forces to carry out a sealing drive.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru, in an interim order, said no coercive steps should be taken against the traders till the next date of hearing, that is, April 26.

The court also sought response of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) represented by advocate Sanjeev Ralli, Delhi government and DDA on a plea by several traders operating in Mayapuri industrial area.

The DPCC had asked the traders to pay environmental damage charges of Rs 1 lakh each.

Senior advocate Kirti Uppal and lawyers Sahil Bhalaik and Tushar Giri, appearing for the traders, challenged the DPCC's order issued earlier this month.

The lawyers claimed these traders run motor parts shops in the area and were not indulging in any polluting activities.

They also said no show cause notice was issued to the traders before imposing the penalty.

Earlier this month, the DPCC had said in a statement that the industries carrying out scrapping activity inside or outside the Mayapuri industrial area have been levied the penalty.

The action follows the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), it had said.

The committee had also levied an environmental compensation fine of Rs five lakh each on the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the public works department (PWD) and the district-level monitoring committee after a news report highlighting dumping of biomedical waste in Barapullah drain was published, it had said in the statement.

The sealing drive on April 13 was conducted by the DPCC, which was acting on directions of the NGT. The tribunal had asked regulatory authorities to ensure closure of "illegal and unauthorised scrap industries in Mayapuri... generating chemicals, oils and poisonous fumes resulting in air pollution, deaths and diseases in Delhi.