The Hindu : New Delhi News : I feel the pain of traders: Sheila

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 05, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

I feel the pain of traders: Sheila

Staff Reporter

Promises all possible steps to clear the confusion over demolition issue

NEW DELHI: As the unrest arising out of sealing of properties and demolitions in various parts of the Capital showed no sign of abating, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with her Finance Minister A.K. Walia on Tuesday met Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken to find a solution to the tense situation in the city.

According to highly placed sources, the meeting in Nirman Bhavan remained inconclusive as it was decided that matters should be further discussed and all the issues involved studied thoroughly before arriving at any decision. It was felt that no attempt should be made to undermine the verdict of the court or antagonise the judiciary, but at the same time a solution should be found to the plight of lakhs of people who would face displacement.

The issue of an Ordinance to tide over the present mess also came up for discussion. It was also felt that steps should be taken to prevent spreading of unrest to other parts of the Capital as traders were getting increasingly restive.

It is learnt that Mr. Reddy assured the traders that the Government was aware of the complications involved in the matter and also the demand by the Members of Parliament for bringing in an Ordinance. However, he said all solutions have to be found within the ambit of the law.

He also said the Tejendra Khanna Committee was already studying all the issues in detail and the Master Plan for Delhi-2021 was in the final stages.

Mr. Reddy is understood to have stated that the Government was working to provide relief and that was the reason why it had come out with a notification on mixed land use.

Later, Ms. Dikshit met a delegation of Delhi traders and assured them that she would seriously consider any measure required to resolve the stalemate that had arisen due to the Supreme Court order for sealing of commercial units in residential areas.

The Chief Minister said she understood the pain of the traders and the common people of Delhi in this hour of crisis and would take all possible steps to clear the confusion over the issue. The traders' delegation, led by the general secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders, Praveen Khandelwal, and comprising senior leaders of Delhi submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking her immediate attention to the rapidly worsening situation in Delhi.

Stating that if immediate steps were not taken, Delhi would become one of the worst cities in the country, the traders said promulgation of an Ordinance to halt the sealing of shops was the only choice left with the Government. The Chief Minister invited the traders for a second round of talks on Wednesday.

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