The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday fined the Delhi government Rs 50 crore for allowing polluting steel pickling units to run in the Wazirpur, Badli industrial area of North Delhi despite orders to shut them down. The NGT has ordered immediate shutdown of these units and directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to constitute a three-member committee to fix accountability and submit a report to the Tribunal explaining how these units were permitted to operate.

A four-member bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice AK Goel passed the order while hearing an execution application of All India Lokadhikar Sangathan, which had sought compliance of the NGT’s past order directing action against the steel pickling units. The matter before NGT has been heard over a few years and despite an undertaking from Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the units were not closed down. Justice Goel  was particularily harsh on the Delhi Pollution Control Board whose officers he threatened with prosecution for failure to perform their statutory duty.

“They (Delhi government) are committing an offence and you are failing to start your prosecution. You are duty bound to check the Delhi govt and not abet them. Should we fine 100 crores or should we fine 500 crores?” Justice Goel asked.

Justice Goel further asked who is the DPCC chairman and if he is present in the court today. He says the chairman should be immediately arrested.

                                                                                                                   —India Legal Bureau