New Delhi, Jul 20 (PTI) An expert committee Monday told the National Green Tribunal that steel pickling units and other hazardous industries can only be allowed in Wazirpur Industrial Area if they are excluded from the negative list of Master Plan of Delhi-2021 by Union Urban Ministry.

The expert committee, comprising representatives of Central Pollution Control Board, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and IIT Roorkee, told the NGT that these industries can be allowed subject to certain conditions, within the available carrying capacity of the area.

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It told the tribunal that higher levels of PM10 and PM2.5 are the outcome of various sources of air pollution in Delhi- NCR and not limited to the activities taking place in the Wazirpur Industrial Area only.

The committee told the NGT that Wazirpur Industrial Area cannot be considered to have the carrying capacity to operate polluting industries, which generate acidic effluent containing hazardous heavy metal., till the time illegal discharges in the stormwater drain ultimately leading to Yamuna are stopped and all the effluent is routed to common effluent treatment plant.

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With regard to ground water quality, the committee found that the concentration levels of different parameters in the area are less as compared to the levels observed in North West Delhi district. However, nitrate level was found to exceed the permissible limits.

It said that the common effluent treatment plant requires improvement in performance with respect to the discharge standards as it is being operated at just around 14 per cent of its capacity.

"In the absence of treatment, storage, and disposal facility and any other option for disposal of hazardous sludge, Wazirpur Industrial Area can not be considered to have carrying capacity with respect to hazardous waste disposal," it said.

The committee formed by NGT said that with regard to removal of 13000-15000 metric tonnes sludge lying in the area, the assigned agency may take 26-30 years to lift the sludge from CETP and hence, the authorisation granted by DPCC to this agency as a temporary arrangement is not expected to serve any purpose.

It said that since the state pollution control board is required to ensure that no industrial discharge/illegal discharge is made in to the storm water drains, Rs 56 crore towards environmental damage may be imposed.

"Delhi Pollution Control Committee may identify the sources of illegal discharges/ Illegal Industries involved in discharging the industrial effluent/other wastewaters containing hazardous chemicals to recover the total environmental damage cost for restoration of the environment of the Wazirpur Industrial Area," the committee said.

Stressing that no industry has a right to cause pollution, NGT had earlier directed the expert committee to assess the extent of damage to the environment from June 27, 2008 -- five years before the filing of the plea seeking closure of these units.

The Terms of Reference for such assessment would include the cost of restoration involved, cost of damage caused and deterrent element, it said.

The order had come on a plea filed by an NGO, the All India Lokadhikar Sangthan, seeking the execution of its order by which the green panel had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action against stainless steel pickling industries in residential areas as they fall under the prohibited list of industrial activity as per the Delhi Master Plan, 2021.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)