Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding illegal factories operating in residential areas of Delhi, 16/10/2023
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of In re : News item published in The Times of India dated 02.07.2023 titled “2 workers killed in factory blast in residential area” dated 16/10/2023.
The original application involved the issue of death of two factory workers and injuries to two others in an explosion in a compressor at a plastic molding factory in Delhi’s Gokulpuri area. Status report on behalf of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has been filed which confirms the newspaper report about death of two persons and injury to other persons in the compressor explosion at a plastic molding factory in Gokulpuri.
The report does not reflect that any compensation has been paid to the deceased as well as the injured person, the court noted.
With regard to closure of the illegal units from the residential/nonconforming areas, Supreme Court has passed an order on May 7, 2004 in WP(C) No. 4677 of 1985 (M.C. Mehta Vs. Union of India & Others). As per the order, all industrial units that have come up in residential/non-conforming areas in Delhi on or after August 1, 1990 shall close down.
The NGT directed notice to be issued to the Secretary, Environment, NCT of Delhi; Member Secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee; District Magistrate, East Delhi; Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Delhi among others.