Action plan to comply with SC orders

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 1. The Delhi Government understood to have prepared an action plan for implementing the various Supreme Court directions on the closure and relocation of industries. Besides, seeking extension of time and review of the list of 42 types of polluting industries, it would seek to put the onus for further development of plots on the Delhi Development Authority.

Apart from this, the action plan is also expected to spell out the time the Delhi Government would require to close down the rest of the 60,000-odd units functioning in the residential and non-conforming areas. It is understood that the action plan came up for discussion by the Industry Minister, Dr.Narendra Nath, with the Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dixit, on Tuesday.

Insiders in the State Government said Ms. Dixit is expected to unveil the plan before the Union Urban Development Minister, Mr. Jagmohan, whom she is expected to meet on Friday. The Supreme Court had directed both Mr. Jagmohan, who is heading the Nodal Agency, and the Chief Minister, to sort out all the modalities for action.

Interestingly, in a change of tactics, the Delhi Government is expected to plead with the Court that the responsibility to develop the rest of the industrial plots, ranging between 16,000 and 20,000, be given to the DDA as it was competent to carry out the job. However, the Delhi Government would continue to develop industrial sites at Narela and Bawana for which it has sought two year's time.

Sources said it was felt that the DDA, which has escaped responsibility in this whole affair and was guilty for the present mess, should be entrusted with the job and made accountable for all that had gone wrong. It was felt that the mushrooming of industries in non-conforming and residential areas was a result of DDA's failure to develop industrial estates for light industries according to the Master Plan of Delhi. Not only this, it failed to check the illegal growth of industries all these years. ``As land is a subject with the Centre and DDA is under the control of the Centre, it would be in the fitness of things to hand over the responsibility of developing plots to DDA,'' a remarked senior official.

Sources said a number of meetings had been held by the Chief Minister, the Industry Minister and the Chief Secretary to work out a time-frame to be submitted before the Court for closure of industries. The onus for such an exercise has been put on the Delhi Government and it would have to file a reply before the case comes up for hearing on February 5. Apart from this, sources said the Government was likely to seek at least four years time to complete the exercise of complete rehabilitation of industries.

It is also learnt the issue of 42 type of industries, which have been listed for closure, is also likely to come up for discussion at the crucial meeting between the Chief Minister and Mr. Jagmohan. The Delhi Government is of the view that the list of such industries needs to be reviewed and a clear definition given on what constitutes pollution.

Also, it is of the opinion that action against the industries should be taken in accordance with the Air and Water Pollution (Prevention) Act, as was the practice all over the country and not according to the Master Plan of Delhi. A lot will depend on what view the Union Urban Development Ministry takes.

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