NEW DELHI: In a decision likely to put the Delhi Government on a confrontation course with the newly constituted high-powered committee of the Union Government, the Delhi Cabinet on Monday approved appointment of a five-member committee under Urban Development Minister A.K. Walia to study the application of the 1963 notification in the Capital's rural Lal Dora areas and suggest measures to deal with the emerging situation.

The Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit decided to set up the committee in view of the new controversy over the Delhi Government's decision to move a proposal to undo the 1963 notification that exempts Lal Dora areas from application of building by-laws. Incidentally, a similar House Committee headed by a senior legislator, Shadi Ram, is already working on Lal Dora and related issues, something that has been overlooked by the Cabinet. The other members of the committee include Revenue and Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, Principal Secretary (Urban Development) O.P. Kelkar, Divisional Commissioner Narendra Kumar and representative of the Law Department.

However, the decision to set up a new committee took everyone including the ministerial colleagues of the Chief Minister by surprise. The proposal had not been discussed at any stage in the Cabinet and therefore the sudden decision to set up a committee under Dr. Walia is bound to create further bad blood between the Union Government and the Dikshit Government. Officials termed the new committee as a "toothless tiger" that was being set up in response to the five-member panel set up by the Union Government to look into various issues including the Lal Dora areas and application of building bylaws. "The Delhi Government has no power over land, buildings or law and order. It has no power to enact legislation on its own without the consent of the Union Government. How is it going to take up a matter that only can be undone or notified by the Union Government or the Union Urban Development Ministry?" asked a senior Minister.

Ms. Dikshit has been upset with the elevation of the Member of Parliament from New Delhi, Ajay Maken, to the Union Cabinet and the subsequent focus on him with regard to Delhi issues. Similarly, the inclusion of the senior Congress legislator S.C. Vats in the five-member high-powered committee set up by the Centre had further upset Ms. Dikshit who had even lodged a strong protest with the Congress leadership.

This new committee is described by political observers as an attempt to complicate matters further and create confusion about the whole issue. "The decision of the Delhi Cabinet is very unfortunate as the high-power committee's terms and reference are very elaborate and even include Lal Dora areas and application of building by-laws. This is bound to send a wrong signal among the masses and is clearly aimed at challenging the Manmohan Singh Government's decision to form a new committee," another official stated.

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