Some factories get NGT relief but industrial activity hit

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday permitted factories meeting emission norms to continue operating in the National Capital Region (NCR). However, coming after the blanket ban announced by the tribunal last week, this was barely a breather for sectors such as construction and transport, considered major polluters.

Construction projects continue to be at a standstill, while entry of trucks has been disallowed in the NCR since last week, disrupting supply of products, especially of automotive components to units. Consumer goods companies, on the other hand, voluntarily curtailed operations in view of smog in the region.

Dabur, Coca-Cola and Perfetti Van Melle are meeting demand in the region via plants located in neighbouring states. Dabur executives said they had acted on their own initiative, as their plant at Sahibabad on the outskirts of Delhi produced ayurvedic medicines and medicated oils. CocaCola and Perfetti Van Melle officials said it was risky to produce food and beverages in a polluting atmosphere.

Real estate executives say halting of production does not help, since dust constitutes only seven per cent of total pollution. “Labour, raw material, equipment, which all come at a premium, are lying unutilised. We have taken all the requisite clearances; stopping work at this stage is hurting us. If highway and metro (rail) construction can go on, why not us?" says Manoj Gaur, vice-president of Credai, the realtors association.

He added the deadlines to hand over projects to buyers might be further delayed due to the ban announced last week.

At the Gurgaon and Manesar factories of Maruti Suzuki and the Greater Noida unit of Honda Cars, production has continued uninterrupted, officials said. Hero MotoCorp, the country's largest two-wheeler maker, faced disruption in supply of inputs due to restriction of trucks in Gurugram (Gurgaon). The company said its plant in Gurgaon was fully compliant with regulatory requirements on emission.