Delhi Government on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that there are more than 1,500 industrial units at Vishwas Nagar area which are engaged in polluting and hazardous activity.
According to a survey carried out by a joint inspection committee, out of a total 3,604 units in the area, 1,509 are commercial, 134 are permissible as per Master Plan Delhi-2021, nine are impermissible, 1,383 are engaged in polluting activity, 179 in hazardous activity and 390 were found to be closed.
The report was filed before Justice Vibhu Bakhru who refused to stay the Government from taking action, in accordance with law, against the impermissible units and listed the matter for further hearing on October 16.
The Delhi Government has filed the report through advocate Zubeda Begum who submitted in court that action in accordance with law will be taken against the units which have been found impermissible as per existing policy. The survey report has also stated that units reported to be polluting or hazardous have not yet been considered under the permissible category as Vishwas Nagar is a non-conforming area and added that “permissible industries are subject to No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the High Powered Committee”.
The report was filed in pursuance of the court’s orders of February 17 and May 5, directing inspection of the area to ascertain “whether any polluting, hazardous, prohibited or impermissible industry or manufacturing or commercial activity is being undertaken” there. The court was hearing two pleas by Poorvi Vishwas Nagar Samaj Kalyan Samiti, which is seeking sealing of all impermissible industrial activities being carried out there, and Association of Vishwas Nagar Small Scale Mfg. And Traders, which has sought declaring of the area as an industrial area. During the hearing, the bench observed that there is no Government notification, which says that Vishwas Nagar is an industrial area.
Opposing the plea of the units, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), through advocate Balendu Shekhar, submitted that currently the area has not been notified as an industrial zone. It has also said that the units are relying upon a note of the lieutenant Governor according to which any area where over 70 per cent of the land is used for commercial purposes be considered as an industrial zone. The inspection was carried out after the industrial units had contended that there are no impermissible units in the area. They have contended that all units in Vishwas Nagar fall under the Orange category and such industries are permissible in industrial areas in Delhi.