Steel units operating despite closure order; NGT seeks reply

The National Green Tribunal today issued notice to the Delhi government and Delhi Jal Board on an NGO's plea seeking action against stainless steel pickling industries in Wazirpur here, which are not complying with mandatory pollution standards.
A bench headed by Justice U D Salvi passed the order after the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) informed it that several steel industries were operating despite issuance of closure order against them.
DPCC told the bench that out of 17 units, it has issued closure order against 14 steel industries while two units were issued show cause notices. The pollution control committee said that implementation of the closure order was to be executed through officers concerned.

The tribunal was hearing NGO All India Lokadhikar Sangthan's plea seeking execution of the order by which the green panel had directed DPCC to take action against stainless steel pickling industries.
Taking note of an NGO's plea, the tribunal had directed Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to inspect stainless steel pickling industries in Wazirpur here which are flouting mandatory pollution norms.
"If consents were granted, when they were granted, what period the industries were running without consent and whether the industries have been fitted with the adequate ETPs (effluent treatment plants) to handle the quality and the load of effluents generated," the bench had said while seeking names of the officers who are responsible for violation.

It had also directed DPCC to inform it about the status of these industries regarding extraction of water and whether they had obtained consent for abstracting ground water from Central Ground Water Authority.

The NGO had alleged that despite the tribunal's order, "DPCC has failed to implement the direction passed on October 17, 2014."
Steel pickling is the process of removing impurities, such as stains and inorganic contaminants from the metal.
DPCC had earlier issued closure notices to several industrial units, mainly steel pickling units, in Wazirpur Industrial Area for discharging harmful effluents in drains that empty in the Yamuna.