Illegal factories in Shaheed Nagar sealed

The district administration and police on Thursday conducted a drive to seal illegal factories in Shaheed Nagar, following a directive after a fire on November 11 that left 13 persons dead.

The district administration and police on Thursday conducted a drive to seal illegal factories in Shaheed Nagar, following a directive after a fire on November 11 that left 13 persons dead.

The police and the district administration officials sealed six illegal factories and snapped electricity connection of factories involved in power theft on Thursday. (HT Photo)

On December 22, the National Human Rights Commission had served a notice to the district magistrate (DM) of Ghaziabad and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of the district seeking an action-taken report on the issue, following the fire.

The fire had taken place due to a short circuit at an illegal jacket manufacturing factory in Shaheed Nagar. After the incident, a Shaheed Nagar resident, Rajeev Kumar Sharma, had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) with the commission on November 13.

According to officials, as many as six such illegal factories were sealed on Thursday’s drive whereas the electricity connection to 15 factories was suspended.

“As soon as the information of the drive spread among factory owners, most of them fled the spot after locking their factories. More than 12 such factories that were found locked were broken into and the equipment and other material inside them seized by us,” Priti Jaiswal, additional district magistrate (city), Ghaziabad, said.

Jaiswal said that notices had been served to all such illegal factories running in the locality.

“A case has been lodged under sections of Factories Act against all such factory owners who are running unauthorised factories in Shaheed Nagar. We will submit an action-taken report to the NHRC within the designated time,” Jaiswal said.

During the drive, it was also found that many factories were involved in electricity theft. The electricity connection of these factories was suspended by the authorities on Thursday during the drive.

“The electricity meters installed by some of the illegal factories in the locality are placed at very dangerous positions, which are prone to catching fire. Such meters were also seized, besides suspension of their electricity connection,” Anoop Singh, circle officer, Sahibabad, said.