The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCD U-turn on its 2004 decision

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Friday, Feb 24, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

MCD U-turn on its 2004 decision

Staff Reporter

Seeks restoration of the 1963 notification

NEW DELHI: Pre-empting the Lal Dora committee headed by Urban Development Minister A.K. Walia, the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Thursday passed a resolution to restore the 1963 notification of the Union Government exempting Lal Dora villages and those in the extended abadi areas from application of building by-laws.

Interestingly, after a Supreme Court observation in 2004, the MCD has passed a resolution to withdraw the 1963 notification recommending to the Delhi Government to endorse the viewpoint of the Corporation.

However, in the wake of the ongoing large-scale demolition, the civic body has passed the new resolution to withdraw its earlier decision on the same issue.

In a rare display of unanimity, councillors of both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party asked the Standing Committee to adopt the resolution.

Under Section 507 of the Delhi Municipal Act, the civic body has the right to decide special provisions for rural areas of the Capital. In its resolution dated July 21, 1959, it exempted rural areas and its parts from the provision of getting building plans sanctioned as per building by-laws. On the basis of the resolution, the Centre issued the notification in 1963.

However, the Supreme Court had observed that there is no logic as to why the rules, regulation and by-laws applicable to the urban areas of Delhi should not apply to the extended abadi or Lal Dora areas. After this the MCD passed a resolution to withdraw the notification of 1963 and later the then Municipal Commissioner Rakesh Mehta forwarded the resolution to the Delhi Government for further approval.

On Thursday, Leader of the House Jitender Kochar moved the resolution that was unanimously passed by all the members of the Standing Committee.

However, Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta demanded a change in the resolution stating that the earlier resolution was null and void as it had not been approved by the Rural Area Committee. His suggestion was incorporated into the resolution.

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