Close units in Delhi colonies: Supreme Court

In an omnibus order, the Supreme Court yesterday directed the Delhi government to close within five months all those industries, except household industries in residential and non-conforming areas, which were set up after August 1, 1990.

Setting a time limit for closure of different categories of industries, which had mushroomed in the residential areas, a Bench comprising Justice YK Sabharwal and Justice BN Agrawal criticised the Delhi government for its lapses leading to such illegalities.

While giving a four-month time limit for the closure of the "F" category industries, which were extensive in nature, the Bench asked the state government to close light service sector industries within five months.

Giving six months for closure of impermissible household industries, the Bench directed the central government to finalise the list of permissible household industries within three months, which could be allowed to continue.

To stop all illegal industrial activity in the capital and ensure compliance of the direction, the Bench constituted a monitoring committee comprising the chief secretary of Delhi, Delhi police commissioner, commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority.

It directed the committee to submit the first progress report to the court by August 31, 2004 and every two months thereafter.

The Bench directed the Delhi government to announce a policy within six weeks giving such incentives as it deemed fit to those industrial units, which came to be established after August 1, 1990 but face closure on the direction of the apex court.

But the court said non-announcement of the policy containing the incentives for the industries would in no way affect the deadline set by it for their closure.

"The water and electricity connection of the industrial units found operating after the due date of the closure shall be disconnected forthwith and in any case not later than a month of the date fixed for their closure," the Bench said.

If the industrial activity still continued, the premises should be sealed within a period not later than another month, the court said.

To make the national capital region a success, the Bench directed the central government "to finalise within six months appropriate steps to be taken for making the region a success for industrial activity by removing the hurdles pointed out by the industry." It asked the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana to extend their co-operation.