Delhi air pollution: No manufacturing will be allowed in new industrial areas, says CM Arvind Kejriwal

In order to reduce pollution in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday no manufacturing unit will be allowed in new industrial areas of the city and only service and hi-tech industries will be permitted there.

Addressing an online press conference, he said the Centre has okayed the Delhi government's proposal by changing the definition of industry in the Delhi Master Plan 2021 and issued a notification to implement it.

Kejriwal said the existing manufacturing units, which cause pollution, will be given the option to shift to service or hi-tech industry.

However, no action will be taken against the existing manufacturing units and they will be encouraged to make the shift, an official clarified.

The chief minister expressed hope that there would be no manufacturing industry in Delhi as they cause pollution significantly.

Asserting that Delhi's economy is mainly based on service industry, he said, hi-tech and service industry will be provided more space at cheaper rates in industrial areas.

"The service and hi-tech industry were, so far, covered under office category in the Master Plan and could open only in commercial areas. So, due to very high rates in commercial areas, these were not opening in Delhi and were going to Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad instead," Kejriwal said.

Now, such establishments need not to go to other cities as they will get more space at cheaper rates in industrial areas of Delhi, he said.
In service and hi-tech industry category, charted accountants and lawyers can also open their offices, which currently fall under office category in Delhi's Master Plan. That is why they were only allowed in commercial areas, the chief minister said.

Offices of media, software industry and IT service industry, ITES, BPOs,? vocational and educational institutions, Internet and e-mail service providers, television programme production, research and development, offices of architects and placement services and the likes can also be set up in new industrial areas, he added.

Kejriwal thanked Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, saying this "historic step" will prove decisive in reducing pollution.?

"I thank Hardeep S Puri ji for approving our proposal to amend master plan to change definition of industrial activity. Earlier, manufacturing was permitted which led to pollution and filth. Now, only hi-tech and service industry will be permitted. Industrial areas will become neat, clean and green," he tweeted.

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Kejriwal hoped that the face of industrial areas in Delhi will change and pollution-causing manufacturing industries like steel and plastic will be gradually replaced by the service and hi-tech industries.