The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Thursday, November 23, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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Jagmohan firm, Oppn walks out
Govt open to amending Master Plan
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 22 — The Opposition today walked out of the Rajya Sabha minutes before the Union Urban Development Minister, Mr Jagmohan, concluded his reply to the day-long debate on shifting industries from residential areas of Delhi. The minister announced that the government would neither regularise the industries in residential areas nor allow polluting units anywhere.

The Urban Development Minister told the House that the government would request the Supreme Court to give “a little more time for relocation” of industries. “This is a very fair proposition,” he said.

Mr Jagmohan said that the government was neither anti-poor nor anti-people. “I would like to remind this august House that the Master Plan has been approved by us and has to be amended faithfully. A Master Plan can be amended provided there is a valid justification, public interest and if it perpetuates a disciplined way of life.”

Mr Jagmohan said that the government would not regularise industries in residential areas to punish its law-abiding residents. “They will be shifted. If the number is more, we will give land.”

He said that residential areas having non-polluting and unauthorised industries would not be converted into industrial areas even if more than 70 per cent of such industries were located there.

Supporting the aforesaid stand, the minister drew attention to a petition moved by a widower to the National Human Rights Commission. The petitioner stated that his wife died of asthma induced by inhalation of fumes from an industrial unit near her house.

He said that there should be no apprehensions in anybody’s mind as the government would not tolerate any polluting industry located anywhere. He added that polluting industries would be relocated in Narela where proper arrangements were being made to ensure that their polluting effects were neutralised. He pointed out that the labour would benefit more as they would be able to work in a better environment. “Nobody is being thrown out of a job.”

Addressing members opposed to shifting of industries in residential areas, the Urban Development Minister said, “Either you are condemned to stay in an industrial area or you are forced to move out. You are looking at the question from a very narrow view-point. The question is whether you want to have disciplined industrial cities or total lawlessness.”

Participating in the discussion, a Congress MP, Mr Kapil Sibal, suggested that the Central Government and the Delhi Government should unitedly go to court and seek more time. He urged the Minister to appreciate that Rs 5000 crore of the revenue and assets would be lost and one and a half million people would be affected by closure of the units. “Don’t make people suffer for the default of the government.”

Shabana Azmi wondered if the government had any doubt on the amendment to the Master Plan. “What is so sacrosanct about the Master Plan? We have to take into account ground realities. It’s very well for the government to request for more time from the Supreme Court. We need to know today what the government intends to do with more time. The question of whether the right to pollution-free air is to be preferred depends on who asked the question. A person living in poverty would say that the right to livelihood is paramount.”

Others who participated in the discussion were S Virumbi (DMK), Ambika Soni (Congress), Karan Singh (Congress). Lajpat Rai (BJP), Nagendra Nath Ojha (CPI), Margbandhu (AIADMK), Satish Pradhan (Shiv Sena), Gandhi Azad (BSP), Balwant Singh Ramoowalia (Lok Bhalai Manch), A.K. Kidwai (INC), R S Gavi (RPI)

Mr Jagmohan held the Delhi Government responsible for the present situation. He said that the government had failed to develop plots for relocation of industries in Bawana and other such areas.

He said subject to observance of pollution safeguards, measures would be taken to redefine household industries in terms of recommendations made by the Jagdish Sagar Committee.

“It needs to be underlined that the Supreme Court started passing orders from February 2, 1996 and uptil December 9, 1999, no one talked of amending the Master Plan”, he said.

He said that officers of the Delhi Government and MCD had started sealing polluting units and other industries in residential areas after the Supreme Court order of November 14. This led to unrest, resulting in road blocks, burning of buses and traffic jams.