The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sheila submits list of 1,406 colonies for regularisation

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Thursday, Feb 07, 2008
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Sheila submits list of 1,406 colonies for regularisation

Staff Reporter

Govt. received about 1,500 applications; a lot of duplication found

— Photo: S. Subramanium

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit handing over the list of unauthorised colonies to Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy in New Delhi on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: Eager to move ahead quickly on the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the Capital, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday met Union Minister for Urban Development S. Jaipal Reddy and submitted to him a provisional list of 1,406 colonies which had applied for regularisation by the stipulated deadline of January 31, 2008.

During her meeting with Mr. Reddy, the Chief Minister said in all about 1,500 applications were received by the Delhi Government from various colonies for regularisation, of which 1,406 were found to be genuine. She said there was also a lot of duplication, which was consequently discarded. Ms. Dikshit, who was accompanied by her Industries Minister Mangat Ram Singhal and Urban Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, spoke at length about the notification issued by the Union Ministry for regularisation of unauthorised colonies and claimed that the Delhi Government had invited applications as per the prescribed norms.

‘Provisional list’

The Chief Minister said while it was now for the Union Ministry to take further action in the matter, the Delhi Government was considering this as a “totally provisional list” and was open to the idea of further adding colonies upon proper enquiry.

At the meeting that lasted close to 75 minutes, various aspects pertaining to regularisation of these colonies, particularly the facilities to be provided, would be submitted.

Incidentally, the issue of regularisation had created quite a flutter within the ruling Congress and brought Ms. Dikshit and Mr. Reddy’s deputy Ajay Maken at loggerheads with each accusing the other of making blunders while issuing directions in the matter.

Maken’s charges

Mr. Maken had charged that the Delhi Government had ignored the October 5, 2007, notification issued by his Ministry while inviting applications for regularisation, whereas it adhered to the same on the issue of differentiating public land from private land.

The Delhi Government through Mr. Chauhan had charged that it had followed DDA’s recommendations on the draft regulations while inviting applications. Also, the Delhi Government had questioned why the Union Ministry had remained silent on the issue for two months till early January before criticising it for the advertisement for applications that had been issued on November 14, 2007.

After much mudslinging, there now appears to be a definite attempt to salvage the situation lest it provide the Opposition an edge in the Assembly elections that are due later this year.

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