"With the Supreme Court deadline on closure of polluting industries expiring on Tuesday, the government would be starting the process of cutting water and electricity connections of violating units from Wednesday. According to government, there are almost 5,000 industrial units which fall under the F Category"1. Simultaneously, "Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit said the government was discussing declaring residential areas with over 70 per cent taken up by industries, as industrial areas. "We have been discussing this issue with the Urban Development minister along with that of the necessary amendments to the proposed Master Plan for Delhi," she said." 2. And industries, under the banner of a Delhi Federation of about 50 associations, announced they will observe strike (Daily Pioneer, next).

Daily Pioneer, 07.09.2004

Industrial strike on Wednesday

Staff Reporter/ New Delhi

Atleast 48 industrial associations under the banner of Delhi Manufacturers' Federation (DMF) will observe a strike on Wednesday against the Supreme Court's ruling for closing category F industries in residential areas.

Speaking to The Pioneer, DMF general secretary Vijay Virmani said industrial associations have decided to sit on a dharna and block traffic in their areas on Wednesday.

He said the industrial associations have made presentations to Union Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Smal Scale Industries Minister Mahavir Prasad, Lieutenant Governor BL Joshi, City Finance Minister Dr AK Walia and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and all these leaders whole-heartedly assured them that not a single industry will be closed down and all areas with a concentration of 70 per cent or more industries will be declared as regular industrial areas.

"Atleast 15 lakh workers of industries and the over 10 lakh related persons like rickshaw pullers, tempo operators, transporters, chaiwalas, dhabhawalas, grocery shop owners, other daily wagers and villagers depending on the rental income from these industries would be directly affected,"said Mr Virmani

Asian Age, 07.09.2004

Action against polluting units from tomorrow

By Our Correspondent

New Delhi, Sept. 6: The Delhi government will start taking action against polluting household industries operating from residential areas in the city from Wednesday.

Authorities will first disconnect the power and water supply of such units running in residential areas. The government has decided to seal polluting household units running in residential areas following a Supreme Court deadline expiring on Tuesday.

The industry department has already made it clear that all polluting household units, which have been allotted plots in the Bawana industrial area, should take possession before Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Union government is reportedly considering the Delhi government’s proposal to allow the operation of 18 other categories of household industries in residential areas. Out of a total of 41 categories of household industries suggested by the Delhi government, the Union government has so far accepted only 23 more categories of household industries.

Sources said that the additional household industries that can now operate in residential areas are ones which deal with aluminium hanger, Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicine, brushes and brooms, cassettes recording, information technology and enabling services, interlocking and buttoning, leather belts, production of sweets, paper mache, paper cup, photography, readymade garments, repair of computer hardware, shoe laces, schools bags, sport nets, stamp pads, ties and water meter.

The industry department of the Delhi government had also made it clear it would not refund amount to those applicants who had made full payments for allotment of the industrial plots in the Bawana industrial area.

The decision was taken to save the Delhi government’s ambitious and India’s largest industrial relocation exercise of worth Rs 1,000 crores in Bawana and other parts of the city. The entire exercise had suffered heavily as most of the allottees have started withdrawing their claims.

The Delhi government developed industrial areas in the city, including Bawana, Jhilmil and Patparganj. Narela and Badli had already been developed as industrial areas in the city

  • 1. Times of India, more in Asian Age report, at end
    http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=841597
  • 2. Express Newsline: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=98533