The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has served closure notice to at least 41 ‘highly polluting’ units at Mayapuri Industrial Area in west Delhi. It was found that the units were allegedly running without any authorisation or consent from the pollution watchdog.

The closure notices were sent on Wednesday with a 24-hour deadline. However, the traders moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday against the DPCC’s order. The court is likely to hear the matter on Friday. In April, violence broke out at Mayapuri when the authorities went to seal some polluting units.

“During a survey last month, 41 units were found operating without DPCC permission. They didn’t obtain the consent to operate which is mandatory under the Air and Water Act,” said a senior DPCC official.

All these 41 units come under the ‘red’ and ‘orange’ category of industrial units, which are considered to be highly polluting. Senior official said the units also didn’t have the authorization required under the hazardous waste management rules.

“How can an industrial unit, where dozens of employees work every day, be shut within 24 hours? Some of the units, which have been asked to close down, have already applied to the DPCC for obtaining the consent certificate. We have already moved court,” said Ramesh Kumar Gupta, general secretary of the Mayapuri Industrial Welfare Association.

Senior DPCC official said the units applied to the DPCC only after penalties ranging from ₹2 lakhs to ₹6 lakh were imposed on them. None, however, have paid the penalty till date. The DPCC has also fined 81 other polluting units ₹2 lakh each.

First Published: Jun 21, 2019 05:45 IST