The Delhi High Court today directed the local municipal bodies to take action against water cooling plants which are illegally operating in the national capital in violation of the master plan.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the three MCDs and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) seeking their response to a plea by an NGO which has alleged that the water cooling plants are operating from notified commercial streets in “flagrant violation” of Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021.
NGO Society for Holistic Approach and Development, in its plea filed through advocates Kamlesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Baniwal, has claimed that orders for punitive action against such units by the Municipal Health Officer (MHO) of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and other senior officials have been “disregarded” by its own officials.
The plea has said that “despite the orders having been passed and the water cooling plants in the notified commercial streets being illegal and unauthorised, no action has yet been taken.”
Taking note of the submissions, the court directed the EDMC to take action as ordered by its MHO and listed the matter for further hearing on September 19.
The other two corporations were directed to physically inspect such units in their areas and all of them were asked to file their respective status reports on the action taken.
