Bawana factory fire: Whose job was it to keep a check? Civic body, AAP pass the buck

Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai said, “MCD issues licences and, in some cases, the Delhi government also issues licences. Only an investigation will reveal who is responsible. A detailed probe by the labour department has been initiated.”

The investigation Rai cited has been initiated by DSIIDC, which said in its preliminary report that at the time of allotment, the factory owner had claimed it would be a plastic manufacturing unit. Citing the report, industries minister and CMD of DSIIDC Satyendar Jain said, “The right to stop any illegal factory being set up in the industrial area also lies with the municipal corporation. They should have done it. Now, they are doing politics over the matter.”

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The report also said that the MCD has the power to get buildings vacated in cases of violations. North civic body mayor Preety Agarwal, however, said the corporation cancelled the licence of the original licensee in early 2015 itself, and informed the

DSIIDC, following which the factory was being run illegally. “It was DSIIDC’s responsibility to keep a check,” she said.

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AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “The report clearly states it is the corporation’s role to enforce that factories are not being run illegally.” Lekhi, meanwhile, said, “It is like Satyendar Jain is chairman of (DSIIDC). So he himself is the judge in the case.”

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DCP (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta said the factory inspector, posted with DSIIDC, issues licences to factories. “The owner has to take NOCs from MCD, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and fire department,” he said. “Delhi Police comes in only if agencies inform or complain that the owner is flouting norms.”