The Hindu : New Delhi News : Councillors in a fix

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 25, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Councillors in a fix

Staff Reporter

Fear a backlash if MCD starts sealing drive

NEW DELHI: The decision of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to begin sealing of illegal commercial establishments in the Capital's residential areas from September 1 has put the ruling Congress councillors in a fix.

Though the Congress councillors are hoping that the Union Urban Development Ministry will soon bring about changes in the Master Plan for Delhi and implement the Tejinder Khanna Committee report to give relief to the business community and residents, they know that after the strict orders by the Supreme Court and High Court against any move to save illegal shops and houses, the Centre might not adopt a confrontational approach on the issue.

"It is bad news for us. With municipal elections just a few months away, the commencement of the sealing drive is not good news for us as it will turn the public against us and give undue advantage to the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party that has no real issue against us. The passage of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, helped us in reviving our position among the public, but now the Centre needs to find some way to give some relief to affected traders and people," remarked a senior Congress councillor on Thursday.

On the other hand, the opposition BJP has accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre of trying to befool the people in the name of new Act. "The Act has failed to provide any relief to the majority of affected people. With the beginning of the sealing, once again a large number of people will be left jobless and their family members will have bear the brunt of it," said MCD's Leader of Opposition Subhash Arya.

Meanwhile, traders are hoping that the monitoring committee would give them some more time so that they can relocate their businesses. "In our meeting with the monitoring committee members on Wednesday, we urged them to give traders time till September 15 so that they could get out of the mess. They assured us to consider our plea. Traders are in a state of panic as they have just a week left to relocate. I hope a new deadline will be announced soon so that traders can get some respite," said Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary of the Confederation of All-India Traders.

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