NGT fines Delhi govt Rs 50 cr for inaction against illegal steel pickling units

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Tuesday fined the Delhi government Rs 50 crore for its "failure" to take action against steel pickling units in residential areas as they fall under the prohibited list of industrial activity.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel rapped the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for not closing the industrial units despite its specific directions.

The bench said discharge of untreated effluent discharge directly or indirectly in the river has caused serious damage to the environment and the Polluter Pays Principle needs to be invoked to compensate the damage caused.

"We impose cost of Rs 50 crores on the Delhi government for its inaction and failure resulting in creating lawlessness and also damaging the environment and the public health. It will be open to the Delhi government to recover the said amount from the erring industries and/or from the erring officers.

"The amount be deposited with the CPCB within one month from today. The CPCB may spend the same for improvement of environment in the area in question by preparing an appropriate scheme with the approval of the chairman, Central Pollution Control Board," the bench said.

The NGT also directed the AAP government to shut these units with immediate effect and directed the Delhi chief secretary to constitute a three-member team to identify persons responsible who may be liable to be prosecuted and punished for violation of law and sought a report within four months.

"Needless to say, permitting polluting industries in violation of law cannot be tolerated and has to be strongly dealt. We have noticed repeated failure of the Delhi government in handling environment issues and continuing violation of orders of this tribunal," the bench said.

The NGT said that the metals used in pickling industries produce corrosive wastes and effluent discharge from these industries contains toxic wastes which are harmful for human health and aquatic life.

The dangerous corrosive chemicals have the ability to cause grave skin injuries and breathing difficulties.

"These wastes adversely affect the human nervous system causing serious ailments and dangerous diseases. In this light, the inaction of the authorities has not only deteriorated and degraded the environment but also also severely affected human and aquatic life," it said.

The tribunal said that violation of law was being done brazenly and the authorities have assumed that nothing can happen if they continue to defy the law to benefit polluting industries at the cost of public health.

The order came on a plea filed by an NGO, the All India Lokadhikar Sangthan, seeking the execution of its order by which the green panel had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action against stainless steel pickling industries in residential areas as they fall under the prohibited list of industrial activity as per the Delhi Master Plan (DMP), 2021.

The plea alleged that such units functioning at Wazirpur discharged effluent in open drains which ultimately met the Yamuna river.

It contended that under the pretext of decision making "time is being taken by the Delhi government and the environment is made to suffer continuously".

Pickling is the process of removing impurities such as stains and inorganic contaminants from metals.