Illegal factories are ticking fire bombs for heavily congested city
THOSE who are not residents of Delhi are astonished when they walk down the narrow streets of the national capitals congested areas and suddenly encounter a small-scale industry. People usually visualise a factory as a big building but the reality is different in Delhi.
The city houses thousands of small factories, which are said to be ticking fire bombs operating under the nose of the civic authorities.
In Anaj Mandi, which houses about 1 000 illegal factories, the workers are left with no choice but to work in these factories situated in perilously close buildings which can be quickly engulfed in an accidental fire.
“Whom should we blame, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled municipal corporation, Delhi police, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) or the corrupt system which runs under their nose,” said residents of Anaj Mandi area.
In 2019, the tragic death of 43 people in a fire at Filmistan theatre at Anaj Mandi due to a short circuit is a grim reminder that civic agencies did not learn lessons from past tragedies as they wait for another to happen and then the time tested game of “passing the buck” begins. And this is not a oneoff incident as many areas where illegal factories are operating in residential areas are ticking time bombs.
According to the Federation of Sadar Bazar Trade associations, there are more than 40 000 shops and over 1 000 factories in the area.
The locals claimed that they have given numerous complaints regarding illegal units operating in the area to the civic agencies but to date nothing has happened.
“Whenever a tragic incident occurs in Anaj Mandi, the civic and other agencies officials are always quick to put the onus on the owners of the building and claim that commercial activity is going on “illegally” but why no action,” said Ram Prakash, a resident of Anaj Mandi area, who also runs a garment shop there.
However, a senior MCD official said that from time to time they seal illegal factories and they have shut down and sealed more than 1 300 factories after surveying over 4 500 properties.
“Notices are also being served and soon all these industries being operated from industrial areas will be sealed,” he added.
A visit to Anaj Mandi reveals the narrow and congested lanes with wires and cables dangling dangerously. The roads are so narrow that a fire tender cannot enter in case of any mishap.
None of the factories operating there have any emergency exit, neither do they have any safety equipment to douse a fire.
The Delhi Fire Services gives Sections 25, 27, & 44 of the DFS Act 2010 which stipulates height and occupancy levels for fire safety and prevention empowers the DFS to act but no action has been taken..