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`Justice not done to Delhi's villagers'

Staff Reporter

Honour promises, Bidhuri tells Centre

NEW DELHI: W hile lauding the work done by Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and his deputy Ajay Maken in coming out with a "good'' Master Plan for Delhi-2021, Pragatisheel Jan Morcha convener and Delhi MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri has demanded that certain promises made to the rural population during its preparation be honoured.

Overall satisfaction

While expressing satisfaction with the overall plan document, Mr. Bidhuri lamented that justice had not been done to the villagers. "The village roads have not been notified as per the promise and the extended abadi areas in the villages have not been regularised and this would adversely impact the provision of basic civic amenities to them.'' Moreover, he said, while it had been promised that all the villages would be developed as "model villages'' through development of schools, hospitals, community centres and parks on surrounding Delhi Development Authority land, that had not been done.

Calling for implementation of a "zonal plan'' for Delhi's villages, the Nationalist Congress Party Delhi unit president also demanded that the compensation to Delhi's farmers be enhanced. He also demanded that the DDA not play the role of an intermediary by buying land from farmers for as little as Rs.10,000 per acre and selling it for Rs.100 crores per acre.

"It should also engage itself in active construction work and should use the money garnered through auction of land for providing better facilities and infrastructure in both the villages and urban areas.'' The Morcha is organising a "massive rally" at Ramlila Grounds this Sunday to highlights various problems pertaining to water, electricity and price rise being faced by the people of Delhi.

Several leaders

Expected to be addressed by political leaders such as V.P. Singh and Raj Babbar of Jan Morcha, Sharad Pawar of the NCP, Prakash Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), A.B. Bardhan of the CPI and Surendra Mohan of Janata Dal (Secular), the rally would also demand a Mayor-in-Council system for Delhi, division of the MCD into nine parts and full Statehood for the Capital city.

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`Justice not done to Delhi's villagers'

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