NEW DELHI: Even before the three-member "unofficially announced" Technical Committee of the Union Urban Development Ministry has begun work, it has run into a controversy. The committee is faced with a "protocol hitch" as members want the Centre and not the Delhi Government to issue a notification of its constitution.

There are also murmurs of protests in Congress circles over inclusion of BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra in the committee. Also, even after a fortnight, the terms and reference of the committee have not been finalised, indicating the level of seriousness with which such a sensitive matter is being treated at the Central and State levels. It is also understood that sharp differences have arisen between the Delhi Government and the Union Urban Development Ministry over the terms and reference and what should be the area of jurisdiction of the new committee.

Interestingly, the formation of the committee, despite not being notified so far, had been announced by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal almost 10 days ago without waiting for the official notification that is still to come. It is learnt that three members of the committee, particularly former Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna, were unwilling to be part of the exercise till the committee was notified by the Union Government. The committee was to study and recommend new building by-laws and suggest what kind of illegal constructions and alternations could be given relief by payment of penalty. Their argument was that a committee notified by the Delhi Government had little meaning as the State Government had no powers over land and its development.

In the given situation, the final recommendations of the committee might not find favour with the Ministry and its findings may be dumped.

It is also being argued that any Central Government committee will have wide-ranging powers and terms of reference to deal with such a colossal problem that also has political ramifications. The Malhotra Committee was constituted by former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana and notified by the Delhi Government. Its report is not only gathering dust in the corridors of power but was rejected by the Union Urban Development Ministry, making the whole exercise redundant.

According to sources in the Delhi Government, another reason for the continued delay in formal notification of the committee was the failure of the Government to finalise the terms and reference. Apart from the technical aspects, there is also a feeling among Congress leaders that the committee should have a technically strong person instead of Mr. Malhotra who represents the BJP. These leaders are understood to have also conveyed to senior party leaders that Mr. Malhotra had already been part of a committee whose recommendations were not accepted by the Government.

"Why should the Congress share credit with the BJP over such an important matter? The purpose of the committee is to provide relief to lakhs of people in the Capital and the Congress would be foolish if it lets the BJP corner a share of the credit that could have far-reaching political implications," a senior party MP remarked.

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