JUDGMENT

1. The petitioner is the sole proprietor of Aghum Enterprises, which was running an industrial unit in the Samaipur Badli industrial area, involved in manufacture of moulded sports and rubber belts since March 1979. The unit remained functional till June 1998, when the petitioner shifted to the Libaspur industrial area.

2. The issue of relocation of industrial units situated in the city of Delhi, to suburban areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) was examined, in detail, by the Supreme Court, resulting in an order passed on 8th July 1996 in M.C. Mehta v. Union of India1996 (4) SCC 750, which directed that industrial units within Delhi be relocated to other areas in the NCR

3. Following the said decision, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) identified industries which were required to be relocated. Guidelines for such relocation were issued by the GNCTD (hereinafter 'the Relocation Scheme'), identifying seventeen categories of industries which were required to be so relocated, thus: