The Hindu : New Delhi News : NDMC parks as wedding venue for one more month

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

NDMC parks as wedding venue for one more month

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Couples anxiously looking for alternative wedding venues after the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) threatened to cancel their bookings for parks can breathe a sigh of relief. The State Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission that had restrained the NDMC from letting out its parks for marriages has clarified that the civic body has one month to comply with the order.

While the original order stated that the NDMC had a month to comply with the decision, the civic agency seems to have been a little over-enthusiastic and had apparently already informed people that their bookings stood cancelled. This enthusiasm even drew flak from the president of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Justice J. D. Kapoor, who was approached by one petitioner, whose daughter's wedding was on January 13, complaining that the NDMC had threatened to cancel the booking.

Clarifying the earlier order, Mr. Justice Kapoor stated that weddings at Talkatora and other NDMC parks were allowed for a month. However, there were strict guidelines that had to be observed.

"The garbage will have to be cleaned from the park. The whole area will have to be disinfected by 6 a.m.,'' he ordered.

He strongly objected to the NDMC spreading unnecessary panic as the original order stated that the NDMC had a month to comply with the decision.

Missing the fine print, the NDMC had issued a statement informing people that those who had booked Talkatora Gardens and other such gardens maintained by the civic body would have to make their own new arrangements. The money already deposited would be processed for a refund.

"This is really irresponsible. The appropriate officers should have at least read the order before telling people that they have to make alternative arrangements. This is a knee-jerk reaction,'' said sources in the NDMC.

The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has in its order restrained the NDMC from letting out its parks for wedding or other functions and had directed it to pay Rs. 25 lakhs as an "exemplary'' fine for the bad condition of its public parks.

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