Steel pickling units will be shut: Delhi government assures NGT

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government today assured the National Green Tribunal that it will take action against steel pickling industries in Wazirpur which are operating without consent and not complying with mandatory pollution standards.

The AAP government told a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar that appropriate legal action will be taken in collaboration with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) against steel pickling units in accordance with the law.

The assurance came after DPCC told the bench that pickling activity is included in the "prohibited" activity list in Delhi Master Plan 2021 and the period granted by the Delhi High Court to continue such activities in accordance with law expired on September 22.

It further said the decision of the Delhi government is still pending in this regard. However, the pollution monitoring body assured the NGT that it would not grant consent to operate such offending industrial units.

"It is stated that consent to operate granted to steel pickling units has already expired and no further consent will be granted. Counsel appearing for Delhi and DPCC assures the tribunal that action would be taken against the steel pickling units without delay," the bench noted.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by NGO All India Lokadhikar Sangthan's seeking execution of an order by which the green panel had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action against stainless steel pickling industries.

Steel pickling is the process of removing impurities, such as stains and inorganic contaminants from the metal.

Earlier, DPCC had issued closure notices to several industrial units, mainly steel pickling units, in Wazirpur Industrial Area here for discharging harmful effluents in drains that empty in the Yamuna.