A protest nonetheless
Residents of Chajjupur, Shahdara, New Delhi, are very angry. But they are also scared. Although they have been fighting the polluting industries in their area, they refuse to come out in the open with their struggle. "We do not want to take on the industry,' explains a local shopkeeper. Residents say they fear harm to their families. In November 2000, the Supreme Court had ordered closure of all industrial units in Delhi's residential areas. About a year later, the industries are already on a comeback trail. "Local authorities seem completely indifferent to the problem,' wrote a resident of Guru Nanak Gali, Chajjupur, in an open letter published in a Delhi-based newspaper. "The pollution, loud noise from big generators and continuous movement of heavy vehicles have made our life hell,' says another shopkeeper in the area. The anonymous letter to a leading daily is an indication that the stirrings of discontent are growing stronger.