HC raps Delhi govt over continuance of polluting units in city

Delhi High Court today pulled up the AAP government for allowing hazardous and polluting industries to operate in the heart of a city, saying it cannot "force" people to convert their vehicles to CNG and allow such units to function.
The court also stayed Delhi government's order to carry out a fresh survey in Vishwas Nagar area of East Delhi to find out how many hazardous industries existed there.
"On one hand you want people to make immense sacrifices by converting to CNG or follow the odd-even scheme and on the other, you allow hazardous units to run in the heart of a city. Where is the justice," Justice Manmohan asked Delhi government as he heard a plea seeking shutting down of alleged illegal industries.

The court was not pleased with the Delhi government's decision ordering a fresh survey of the area to see how many industries existed there, as several surveys have already been carried out. As per Delhi master plan, any area having 70 per cent or more industrial units are to be termed as an industrial area.
"You order one survey after another till you have achieved the milestone of 70 per cent. The person who has ordered the fresh survey should be asked to go and live at Vishwas Nagar for a few weeks. It would improve his health and thinking significantly," the court remarked sarcastically.

"Polluting units will have to stop. You permit hazardous units to go on under your nose, but you ask people to convert to CNG. Forcing it down their throats. This is enough. This is absolutely gross negligence," it said while staying Delhi government's September 30, 2015 order directing carrying out of a fresh survey.

It further directed that if a survey has been carried out then no action be taken as per the results.
The court was hearing a petition by a residents' welfare association of the area challenging the Delhi government order and seeking shutting down of these industrial units. It noted that there were over a thousand polluting units and 179 hazardous units operating in the area.

Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, appearing for the petitioner association, claimed that the government's order was "over- reaching" the earlier court directions as per which industries cannot operate in residential areas.
He said that several orders of the high court have taken note of polluting and hazardous units in the area, but government has not taken any action but ordered a fresh survey. He also said that 795 alternate plots have been alloted for shifting the units, but very few have moved.
The petitioners, in their plea, have alleged that the decision to carry out fresh survey has been taken under the influence of the industries.