The Hindu : A reminder of nexus between officials, politicians

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 02, 2003

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A reminder of nexus between officials, politicians

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI JAN. 1. The tragic death of nine people after an explosion inside the furnace of an illegal glass factory running for the past nine years at Samaipur Badli in West Delhi is an ugly reminder of an unholy nexus that exists between corrupt officials and indifferent political representatives. It is under their patronage that many such illegal units are being run by unscrupulous elements endangering not only innocent lives but also posing a grave health hazard.

While Delhi's Industry Minister, Deep Chand Bandhu, has been quick to announce compensation and also order a survey of such illegal units, he has sought to turn a blind eye to the facts which are known to everyone. While the Supreme Court had ordered total closure of polluting units in the Capital two years ago, the fact is that such units continue to operate illegally in various areas of the Capital making a mockery of the law. It is common knowledge that such polluting units and those dealing in hazardous chemicals and acids are openly flouting norms and operating in non-conforming and conforming areas after greasing the palms of corrupt officials who are supposed to keep a tab on such illegal activities. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has also failed to discharge its duty in an effective manner and needs to pull up its act before it finds itself on the wrong side.

A visit to the area near Samaipur Badli and the adjoining nullahs and drains reveals startling facts about how unscrupulous factory owners with the connivance of corrupt babus are thriving and posing a big threat to the health of citizens. However, the Delhi Government and particularly the Industry Department continues to turn a blind eye to all this. The nullahs adjoining the Badli railway line and one towards the G.T. Karnal road on the Delhi-Chandigarh national highway are flooded with chemicals, pollutants and acidic discharge from factories operating in a clandestine manner. The water flowing in these nullahs, which pass through some of the posh farmhouses of the Capital on Bhawalpur Road, is full of acidic foam indicating that poisonous pollutants are being fed into them in violation of all norms.

Officials in the Government said continued operation of such units, in gross violation of the law, not only confirms the fact that court orders were being flouted in a calculated manner but also reflected the lethargy and indifferent attitude of the authorities in dealing with violators. "The Government reacts only when an incident takes place. The survey will be of no use and is nothing but eyewash. The fact is that such surveys had been conducted in the past also and not much has emerged out of them. Despite court orders on hazardous units, incidents like this one continue to happen indicating that something was seriously wrong and not enough was being done to stop the situation from deteriorating,'' a senior official remarked.

The fact that the unit at Samaipur Badli had been functioning for almost nine years is itself a severe indictment of the Industry Department and the DPCC which have failed in their duty to close down such units. Instead of taking to task those who had permitted operation of this particular illegal glass factory and such other units, the Industry Minister has opted for the routine course of getting an enquiry instituted. "The Government or the officials only act after they are reprimanded by the courts. The political authority has lost the will to act. This attitude must change in the interest of the people whose health should be of prime importance than permitting such units to exist,'' a senior official remarked.

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