Delhi: HC pulls up authorities over lack of clarity on development of industrial areas

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) The Delhi High Court pulled up authorities on Wednesday for their lack of clarity regarding which agency is responsible for the development of industrial areas in the city that are functioning without any sewage system.

Irked over the lack of clarity on the authorities' responsibilities, the court directed Delhi Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner, the secretary of the city government's industries department, the DSIIDC managing director and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) head to be present before it on November 22 to assist it in the matter.

"The presence of these officials is primarily to assist the court as to how to deal with such a situation when neither of the agencies is willing to take responsibility for the development of sewage lines, storm water drains, connections to STPs, CTEPs and monitoring them," a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet P S Arora said.

The court also warned the authorities of imposing costs running into crores on them, in case of failure in complying with its orders.

The court, which was hearing a suo-motu PIL initiated on a news report regarding waterlogging issues in the city, directed that a joint report be filed by these officials by November 15 and listed the matter for further hearing on November 22.

The bench said if no meaningful decision is placed before it in the report, the officials should be physically present in the court. If the report is filed and brought on record by that day, they were given the option to appear in the court virtually.

The court noted that there are no storm water drains or sewage systems in most of the city's industrial areas.

The MCD's stand is clear that it has not constructed any storm water drain or drainage system in any of these areas.

Thus, between the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DSIIDC), the MCD and the Department of Industries, there is no clarity as to which agency is responsible for the development of industrial areas, where several industries are already functional, the court observed.

"Look at the amount of money being spent, it is taxpayers' money, and not a sewage line being laid on the ground. Everything is happening only on paper -- reports after reports, committees after committees, minutes after minutes, decisions after decisions -- all on paper," the bench said.

"Imagine 27 industrial areas working without a sewage system. Just see how much pollution is going into the ground. Why is it the responsibility of the RWAs (to build sewage systems)? It is not their responsibility. They may just help the authorities, they are kind of assisting people and assisting the authorities. It is not their job," it added.

Terming the situation a major problem, the bench said the court, with all its power, is feeling helpless and it is a "frustrating process".

"If any report is not there on record that day, you cannot even imagine the amount of costs we are going to impose on that day. We are making it very clear today. If there is any amount of non-compliance in the previous orders, the costs are going to be now in crores. We are making it clear to you now," the bench said.

It added that costs running into crores will be imposed on every agency that fails to file a report in the court and the amount will be given to some private entity to lay sewage lines.

The court had earlier described the situation as "disturbing" that most industrial units were dumping their waste straightaway into the drains, without treatment.

The court had said the treated water coming out of the sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) get mixed with untreated waste water, before flowing into the Yamuna river, thereby neutralising the entire purpose of treating the waste.

It had directed the DPCC to give a chart of all industrial areas and the steps being taken for monitoring the treatment of the waste discharged by factories and industries here. PTI SKV RC