10 industrial units penalised for violating pollution norms, one discharged carcinogenic waste into Yamuna, NGT told

The action comes in response to a plea being heard by the NGT that alleged unauthorised operation by these units. According to the plea, filed by a Delhi resident, Varun Gulati, last year, illegal “red-category” industries – such as electoplating and metal processing — were operating in densely populated residential areas.

A joint committee comprising officials from the DPCC, Revenue department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Police, and BSES conducted surprise inspections in April last year.

As per the DPCC’s submission on Wednesday, a total of 36 units were surveyed, and inspections were held again for nine of the 36 units. Eleven showcause notices were issued, and Environmental Compensation was finally imposed on 10 units.

Among the most serious violations was an electroplating unit operating without any pollution control device, which was found to be discharging untreated wastewater into drains leading to the Yamuna. The DPCC said the waste was “highly toxic and carcinogenic in nature,” and the unit was sealed after a fine of ₹10 lakh was imposed. In another case, a powder-coating unit in Ghonda was found non-operational, but it was still storing machinery and coloured powder. The MCD sealed the premises, and the DPCC imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh.

Here is a list of other units penalised:

> An illegal godown for aluminium hardware in Bhajanpura (EC: Rs 40,000)

> A garment and bag stitching unit in Bhajanpura (EC: Rs 40,000)

> A hanger manufacturing unit using metal wire in Village Gamri (EC: Rs 40,000)

> A paper roll and paper cup godown in Gamri (EC: Rs 40,000)

> A cloth bag stitching and screen-printing unit (orange-category industry) in Gamri (EC: Rs 5 lakh)

> A metal surface finishing unit in Gamri (EC: Rs 40,000)

> A red-category electroplating unit in Gamri, where the first floor was sealed (EC: Rs 10 lakh)

> An injection-moulding unit involved in waste plastic reprocessing without washing (EC: Rs 5 lakh)

The DPCC said that enforcement action in such residential non-conforming areas falls under the jurisdiction of the Zonal Deputy Commissioners of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), in line with a 2019 Supreme Court order.