SC orders closure of polluting units in Delhi

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 7. The Supreme Court, while reserving orders on the issue of contempt against the Chief Secretary, Delhi Government and the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, ordered the closure of all polluting industrial units operating in the residential and non-conforming areas of Delhi within four weeks.

A three-Judge Bench comprising Mr. Justice B.N. Kirpal, Mr. Justice Doraiswamy Raju and Mr. Justice Brijesh Kumar asked the Ministry of Urban Development, which has been appointed as the nodal agency, to implement the order.

The Bench directed the Delhi Government, MCD and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to cooperate with the nodal agency in implementing the order. The Commissioner of Police, Delhi, was asked to render all assistance in this regard.

The Bench made it clear that while doing so, the nodal agency would not be affected by any stay or injunction granted by any court. The Bench said ``no orders passed by any court for stay or injunction, which is in conflict with the action of any authority taken pursuant to today's orders and previous orders will operate.''

In respect of other industries in operation with or without a licence, the Bench said ``though for the present it is not making any orders on other industries functioning in the non- conforming and residential areas, it does not mean that the authorities will sit back and relax.''

To facilitate the closure, the Bench directed the MCD to identify the polluting units within 10 days and furnish to the nodal agency a list of those functioning in the non-conforming and residential areas and the list ``shall indicate their nature of activity, and if possible whether polluting or not.''

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