Representatives of potters in Uttam Nagar have approached the Supreme Court against an NGT order in December 2018 that directed all wood-fired kilns be shut down in the area.The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Thursday directed around 1,200 pottery units in Sainik Enclave, Vikas Nagar and Uttam Nagar to demolish their furnaces by Saturday, failing which authorities will fine and take them down.
The move comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the DPCC in April 2019 to present an action-taken report in a case filed before it, regarding air pollution from pottery units in these areas. “We are bound to face resistance from people running these units, as it’s a matter of their livelihood. We’ve given them time until Saturday to close down,” a DPCC official said.
Following the NGT order, committee officials inspected the area and found the units were using wood and saw dust to run furnaces, causing air pollution.
Directions were then issued by DPCC to close pottery units. Public notices were pasted on walls Thursday to make people aware of the order, the official said.
On Saturday, a team with officials from DPCC, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and Delhi Police will demolish the furnaces that have not complied with the order.
Representatives of potters in Uttam Nagar have approached the Supreme Court against an NGT order in December 2018 that directed all wood-fired kilns be shut down in the area.
Advocate Dr Sunil Kumar, the potters’ counsel, said, “Only 40 to 50 houses may have been running the kilns. We will ask them to shut operations till the SC decides on the matter.”
