The Hindu : New Delhi News : Khurana condemns `status report'

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Saturday, Nov 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Khurana condemns `status report'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, NOV. 5. Former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana today criticised the "status report'' filed by the Delhi Government in the Supreme Court on November 1 where no mention has been made of the proposed changes in the Master Plan and termed it as "betrayal'' of the people at the behest of some influential bureaucrats.

Talking to mediapersons after his meeting with the Union Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the former Chief Minister said an atmosphere of suspicion and insecurity was sought to be created by the status report filed by the Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) Managing Director, Jalaj Srivastava, on behalf of the Chief Secretary, S. Regunathan. He said that as per the status report filed in the court, the Delhi Government had undertaken a pledge that it would continue with the closure of industries despite the changes being made in the Master Plan of Delhi. What is even more surprising is that the report points an accusing finger at the various organisations and political leaders belonging to various groups for creating problems in the whole process. But it reiterates that despite these constraints, the closure was going on at a good pace.

Mr. Khurana informed that the Secretary (Urban Development), Anil Baijal, had a talk with the Chief Secretary to enquire about the status report of the Delhi Government and his worst fears were confirmed when the Chief Secretary informed that such a report had been filed before the Supreme Court. Demanding that the Delhi Government file an amended affidavit confirming the changes being contemplated in the Master Plan of Delhi for protecting the interests of the industries, Mr. Khurana said he urged Mr. Azad to take steps in this direction. Mr. Azad assured that the Solicitor General would be directed to file a new affidavit in the Supreme Court before the next date of hearing. "It is unfortunate that the Delhi Government after making tall promises had chosen to ignore the ground realities. The political leadership seems to have virtually no control over the bureaucracy in the Delhi Government where reports are being filed in contrast to the stated stand of the State Government,'' he remarked.

Mr. Khurana, accompanied by the former Union Minister, Sahib Singh Verma and party MLAs, also demanded that steps be taken for regularisation of all the unauthorised colonies that have come up in Delhi till March 2002. At the same time, steps should be taken to formulate a law that clearly prescribes strict action against the people and officials who are involved in this illegal activity, he added.

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