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The Delhi High Court has ordered the Chief Secretary of Delhi and other top government officials to appear before it in connection with the "extremely appalling" condition of 27 notified industrial areas that continue to function without basic infrastructure such as sewage lines and stormwater drains.
A Bench of Justice, Prathiba M Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, issued the direction while hearing a suo motu case on industrial redevelopment and pollution management in the national capital. The Court noted that despite a Cabinet decision taken in August 2023 for the redevelopment of these industrial zones, "there is no clarity as to which agency is responsible" for establishing sewage and drainage systems. The Court has directed the following officials to appear on the next date of hearing -- Chief Secretary of Delhi Rajeev Verma, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Bipul Pathak, Managing Director, DSIIDC Nazuk Kumar, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, and DPCC Secretary Sandeep Mishra. They have been asked to hold a joint meeting by November 10 and submit an action plan by November 15 on how the situation will be rectified. Observing that industries are already operational in these areas without any sewage treatment infrastructure, the Court said this could lead to contamination of groundwater and discharge of untreated water into the Yamuna. "This is an extremely appalling situation," the Bench remarked. The Court also directed representatives of three consultant agencies -- M/s Creative Circle, M/s SABS Architects & Engineers Pvt. Ltd., and M/s Square Designs -- to be present at the next hearing on November 22, 2025, to explain the status of redevelopment surveys. The Bench expressed concern that, despite repeated directions and interdepartmental meetings, "neither of the agencies is willing to take responsibility" for ensuring basic infrastructure in these industrial zones, underscoring a serious lapse in governance and coordination among Delhi's civic and industrial authorities. (ANI)
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