The Hindu : New Delhi News : Further relief for Delhi from sealing

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Friday, Sep 14, 2007
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Further relief for Delhi from sealing

Staff Reporter

Union Cabinet nod for new Ordinance covering new areas

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a second Ordinance imposing a moratorium on sealing operations in the Capital for six months. Commercial establishments in the city’s unauthorised colonies and godowns used for agricultural purposes, which were left out in the first Ordinance passed this past May, have been included in the new one.

Briefing media persons, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said the Cabinet approved of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Ordinance, 2007, which is aimed at maintaining the status quo in respect of many categories of unauthorised development.

The new Ordinance covers jhuggi-jhonpri clusters, hawkers and urban street vendors, unauthorised colonies and commercial establishments running in these colonies; existing farm houses, houses involving construction beyond permissible limits; schools, dispensaries, religious and cultural institutions; storages, warehouses and godowns used for agricultural inputs or produce (including dairy and poultry) in rural areas and built on agricultural land.

While the status quo in respect of premises in rural areas, including godowns, would be maintained as on January 31, 2006, in unauthorised colonies the status quo would be maintained as on February 8, 2007, the day the Union Cabinet had decided to regularise unauthorised colonies.

The need for bringing in a new Ordinance arose because the Bill in this regard could not be tabled in Parliament. Sources in the Union Urban Development Ministry said the Bill was to be tabled this past Monday, but with Parliament being adjourned sine die an Ordinance had become necessary to provide relief to the people.

They said the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, putting a one-year moratorium on sealing and demolition in the Capital, was enacted with the intention of using the moratorium period for finalising policies and norms on all the categories of unauthorised developments. However, with these not being finalised at the expiry of the Act in May, an Ordinance was brought in by the Government to extend the relief while the norms were finalised.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had criticised the Ordinance in May alleging that the Government was not concerned with unauthorised colonies and had left them out, while farm houses were included.

Sources said the Ministry had not expected problems on that front but a few unexpected developments necessitated a new Bill. The Supreme Court setting a 22-day deadline to seal all commercial premises in unauthorised colonies in August was one such factor.

Although the Ordinance can be in place only for six months, the Bill is most likely to be tabled in Parliament during the winter session, sources said. If that happens, the period of relief provided to the residents falling under various categories of unauthorised developments would in all likelihood increase.

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