EDMC cracks whip on illegal industries, 330 to be sealed by January 20

Delhi’s three municipal corporations have been sealing illegal industrial units running from residential or non-conforming areas on the instructions of the Supreme Court.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) sealed 14 factories running illegally from residential or non-conforming areas in Gandhi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Jagatpuri and Farsh Bazar on Thursday. Officials said the factories were in a list of 51,873 units provided by the Delhi State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) to three municipal corporations in October.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation started a sealed 14 factories being run illegally in residential areas on Thursday, January 10, 2019. (HT File / Representational Photo)

“People were running chemical, metal work, plastic and laundry units from residential areas, which is illegal,” said Deepak Shinde, deputy commissioner, Shahdara south zone.

“The sealing drive will continue till next week as we will close all 330 illegal units (which were there in the DSIIDC list) by January 20,” said a senior EDMC official.

In its second list, DSIIDC had mentioned 4,300 illegal factories in Shahdara south zone of EDMC. “But after survey, we found most of them shifted except for 330 units. These units continued to run and we had issued them show cause 10 days ago. Now, action will be taken against the rest of factories in a phased manner,” said Shinde.

In Shahdara north, 170 illegal industrial units have been identified and action will be taken against them in the next two days.

The three municipal corporations have been sealing illegal industrial units running from residential or non-conforming areas on the instructions of the Supreme Court and as per the list provided by the DSIIDC. Of the total 51, 837 units, DSIIDC shared details of 21,000 industries in phase I, in May.

“These industries were allocated plots in Narela and Bawana in 2004 under the DSIIDC’s relocation scheme. But most of them didn’t shift and continued their operation from non-conforming areas. And then in phase II, DSIIDC shared details of industries, which had applied for plots in industrial area but could not get them.Of them, 6,511 units fall under EDMC’s jurisdiction as per DSIIDC,” said an EDMC official.