The Hindu : New Delhi News : "Take corrective measures in Delhi or face rout"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 13, 2006
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New Delhi

New Delhi

"Take corrective measures in Delhi or face rout"

Staff Reporter

Congress councillors tell party high command

NEW DELHI: Expressing fear that the present situation in the Capital did not augur well for the party, Congress councillors on Thursday conveyed to the party high command that until and unless corrective measures are put in place to end the current phase of sealing and demolitions and also address the issues of water and power crisis, the party will face a rout in the MCD elections due early next year.

A majority of the municipal councillors who spoke at the meeting called by party general secretary in charge of Delhi, Ashok Gehlot, said it was high time the Union Government as well as the Delhi Government put their house in order and acted in the interests of the common man.

The councillors were of the view that any further delay in addressing these important issues would only create further complications for the Congress.

Interestingly, Mr. Gehlot, responding to suggestions by a section of the councillors that the MCD elections be postponed for six months, said that elections were a democratic process and such things could not be postponed.

Also present at the meeting were Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Mayor Farhad Suri and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ram Babu Sharma.

The Chief Minister was of the view that party MLAs should also be called and their opinion sought on the future shape of the Corporation as well on the holding of civic polls. Therefore, the Congressmen should brace themselves up to face the civic polls and concentrate their energies on mobilising the workers as well as public opinion.

While there was major concern over the demolitions and sealing exercise, a large section of the councillors were of the view that poor power and water situation in the city had made matters worse and therefore it was time for the Delhi Government to act and improve the situation in these two areas. However, many councillors were of the view that elections should not be postponed at any cost and instead efforts should be made to address the issues currently being faced by the people including the demolitions and sealing.

The move by the Delhi Jal Board to impose an additional tax on exploitation of underground water sources also came under sharp attack during the meeting. The councillors were of the view that the timing of the Delhi Water (Amendment) Bill, 2006, was wrong and its contents would only further alienate the people at large. They demanded that this particular Bill should not be introduced and passed at any cost as it would hurt the prospects of the Congress candidates in the MCD polls.

They also urged Mr. Gehlot to impress upon the Group of Ministers (GoM) to provide relief to the people even if it meant amending the Constitution.

A large number of councillors also urged him to impress upon the party leadership to speed up the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies that is pending with the Union Urban Development Ministry as well as the Delhi Government.

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