SC seeks CPCB report on impact of industries operating in Delhi on pollution

The Supreme Court Monday asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to file a report on the impact on pollution due to industries running in Delhi-NCR to ascertain whether there is a need to re-locate them.

The apex court also directed the Delhi government to apprise it of the kind of factories that are operational in the national capital.

The counsel appearing for the Delhi government told the top court that no polluting industries are operational here.

"Which are the industries which are running in Delhi? What is the impact on pollution?," a bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta said.

"We want to know are they contributing to pollution and whether they have to be re-located," the bench observed.

Advocate A D N Rao, assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae in the Delhi sealing matter, claimed that figure given in recent affidavit filed by Delhi government on industries was not in compliance with the top court's earlier order.

"We direct the CPCB to examine the impact of these industries on pollution in Delhi-NCR," the bench said.

It also asked the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to place before it the facts regarding industries running in the national capital region.

The bench has posted the matter for hearing on January 6 next year.

Last year, the apex court had said it was "unfortunate" that even after 14 years of setting up a monitoring committee to stop illegal industrial units in Delhi, several such units were operating in residential areas.

The monitoring committee, constituted in pursuance to a 2004 order of the apex court, comprises of the chief secretary of Delhi, the commissioner of Delhi Police, the commissioners of municipal corporations of Delhi and the vice chairman of DDA.