North body allows household industries in residential areas

NEW DELHI: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Saturday passed a policy, allowing a few household industries even in residential areas.

The north corporation’s policy, which will allow online issuance and renewal of licences for such factories, was passed during the standing committee meeting of the civic body on Saturday.

Though allowed as per the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021, such licences for household industries had not been issued since April 2011.

According to officials, the Citizen Service Bureau (Sugam Kendra) — the wing of the corporation that issued such licences — stopped the practice in 2011 due to lack of inspectors and officials.

The new policy will now allow industries that come under the A and A-1 categories of the MPD 2021 to be run from residential areas as well. While polluting industries are prohibited and fire-prone material may not be stored, up to 112 types of activities may be carried out.

Category A under MPD 2021 includes the manufacture of electronic items, sewing machines, typewriters, incense sticks, candles, flour mills, biscuit making, bookbinding, brass and copperware, carpentry, dairy products, dry cleaning, leather footwear and perfumery.

The A-1 category includes nine activities like blacksmithy, production of ice cream and water cooling, cane and bamboo products, pottery, oil ghani, woodwork, etc. that may be carried out in villages, the policy states.

North corporation standing committee chairperson, Veena Virmani, said, “Under the policy, the industry is allowed to hire a maximum of five workers and use up to 5 kilowatt of energy connection. Only industries adhering to such norms can operate in residential areas and get licences from us.”

Congress leader Mukesh Goel said, “This had been pending for some time. It will get us revenue and generate employment in suburban areas of Delhi.”

A similar policy had been approved by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation in December 2018.