Court asks Delhi to shut polluting industries in villages
By IANSTuesday, March 2, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the state government to shut polluting industries that are operating in some villages on the Delhi-Haryana border within four weeks.
A division bench of acting Chief Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Mukta Gupta asked the ministry of industries of the Delhi government, the Delhi Jal Board, BSES (electricity supplier), and the Delhi Pollution Control Board (DPCB) to take steps to close down within four weeks time the industries operating from the non-conforming areas.
The court took strong exception to the fact that despite directions by the apex court in 2004 of closing down industries operating from residential areas, some industries are still running and the agencies are not taking any steps to curtail this.
The court was hearing a public interest petition filed by Mahavir Singh through counsel Sumeet Sharma alleging that illegal industries are running in villages of Nangloi, Ghewara, Neelwal, Mundka, Kamrruddin Nagar, Tikri Kalan and Ranhaula.
“The villagers are made to bear the pollution caused by these industries. Mundka village has become a toxic dumping yard and a final destination of all plastic wastes churned out in Delhi’s homes,” the petitioner said.
“Some of the industrial activities being carried on in these areas are - melting and shredding of rubber and plastic items, burning of used motor engine oil for the purpose of cleaning and reselling to oil vendors, manufacturing plastic items from recycled plastic,” the petitioner’s counsel said and sought immediate direction to both the central and the state governments to shut the industries.
Citing the Supreme Court ruling banning hazardous industries, counsel said: “Burning of plastics, especially PVC, releases harmful gases like which are found to cause cancer.”
