NEW DELHI: Seeking an immediate end to the ongoing sealing and demolition drives in the Capital, Communist Party of India general secretary A. B. Bardhan on Monday asked the Centre and the Delhi Government to urgently call an all-party meeting to discuss changes and other important features in the proposed Master Plan for Delhi-2021 so that it could be implemented soon.

Addressing a large number of party activists, who had gathered at Jantar Mantar here to protest against the ongoing drives being carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Mr. Bardhan asked Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to take the initiative and call an all-party meeting to find a way out of the civic mess.

Accusing the civic body of targeting poor people on the pretext of removing unauthorised constructions and encroachments, Mr. Bardhan said sealing of shops in residential areas should immediately stop as it was providing jobs to lakhs of citizens. Similarly, there was no logic of rendering people jobless and homeless when the Government could not provide the same to them, he added.

Alleging that the Government had failed to rein in the land mafia in the Capital who were the real culprits behind the civic mess, the CPI general secretary asked why the Government and the civic body were silent when unauthorised constructions were being carried out and illegal shops opened.

"This clearly shows that there is a nexus between the officials and land mafia. These people must be exposed and punished severely," Mr. Bardhan demanded.

Stating that residents, mainly belonging to lower strata of society, were in the trap of land mafia and corrupt MCD officials, CPI secretary Amarjeet Kaur demanded immediate regularisation of all unauthorised colonies. She also flayed MCD for preparing a "fictitious" list of illegal constructions and then extorting money from people and targeting those who failed to oblige them.

She demanded a proper survey of the entire residential and commercial areas before carrying out the drive.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail