New Delhi   

Civic bodies directed to notify hawking zones

J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to finalise within six weeks all hawking/squatting and no-hawking/no squatting areas in their respective zones for effective implementation of its order to make no-hawking zones free from hawkers/squatters.

A Bench of Justice B. P. Singh and Justice Tarun Chatterjee gave this direction when it was pointed out that neither the MCD nor the NDMC had so far identified the zones and the hawkers were not aware whether or not to carry on their trade. The Bench directed both the MCD and the NDMC to file affidavits on compliance of the order.

The Bench said that in case they failed to identify the zones as directed, the Additional Commissioner, Central Licensing, would be personally liable for the lapse.

The Judges said that after the notification issued by the MCD and the NDMC it would be open to the parties concerned including various traders'/hawkers' associations to file their objections in four weeks. The Bench directed listing of the matter for further hearing on February 6, 2007, when the Court would finalise the hawking zones.

The Bench said that its earlier order would remain in force till a new scheme for hawkers was implemented. It said that after implementation of the new scheme, hawking and no-hawking zones in the Capital would be notified afresh by the MCD and the NDMC.

On May 5, the Court had directed the MCD and the NDMC to remove all permanent and semi-permanent structures from roads, streets, pavements and footpaths and directed them to notify the no-hawking zones where hawkers would not be allowed till the policy for their relocation was finalised. As the MCD and the NDMC complained that the removed hawkers and squatters were reoccupying the places cleared by the civic agencies, the Bench made it clear that the Station House Officer of the local police station would have to ensure that those removed did not come back to the same place.

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