Send Applications To Obtain Consent To Establish, Operate By March 10: DPCC To Industries

Updated on: 19 February 2022 4:03 pm

A woman shifts fishes in the Yamuna river while toxic foam floats at Kalindi Kunj, in New Delhi.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has said industrial units are required to obtain consent to establish and operate in the city under laws to tackle water and air pollution and sought applications by March 10, with a warning that violators will face punitive actions. In a public notice, issued in newspapers on Saturday, the DPCC said violation of the norms could entail effective closure of a unit or disconnection of electricity and water supplies to it.

In the notice, it has said that no person without its prior consent shall establish or take steps to establish any industrial unit or disposal system thereof which is likely to discharge effluent into a stream or on land. The entire Union Territory of Delhi has been declared as an air pollution control area vide notification dated 20.02.1987, it said.

It is a mandatory provision under a section of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 that no person, without the prior consent of DPCC, shall establish any unit in any air pollution control area, the notice said. It is also a mandatory provision under a section of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 that no person, without the prior consent of DPCC, shall establish any industrial unit or disposal system thereof which is likely to discharge sewage or effluent into a stream or on land, the notice added.

The DPCC in its notice said all units operating in Delhi are required to obtain "consent to establish" and "consent to operate" under these laws. By way of the public notice, all industrial units are hereby directed to comply with the provisions of the two acts, and submit the application for consent to establish and consent to operate via an online portal by March 10, 2022. "The notice be treated as opportunity of being heard. In case of violation, penal action, including effective closure of the unit, disconnection of electricity and water supply to the unit as per the provisions of the above said acts will be initiated without any further reference," it said.

With PTI Inputs