02-08-2006, 12:56 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Go buy a hammer, public figures to be told </b>
Rajesh Kumar / New Delhi
MCD told to go after big offenders, others gustakhi maaf ----- Public figures must raze their unauthorised structures to save themselves the embarrassment of demolitions. This appeared to be the general consensus at a 75 minute meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
The meeting also directed the MCD to ply its bulldozers as of now on structures which have encroached Government land rather than target residences with minor violations of the building bylaws.
The Ministry of Urban Development (UDM) has been asked to submit a firm proposal on the matter after taking into account opinion of political parties, experts and citizen groups.
The Prime Minister directed the UDM to constitute a high-powered committee to come up with practical solutions to end the current "uncertainty". The committee, which will be constituted in the next few days, will submit its report in three months time.
After the meeting, Mr Reddy said: "Prime Minister Singh has desired that the current uncertainty in the Capital's ongoing drive should be brought to an end. After taking various factors into consideration, it was decided that Urban Development Ministry should appoint a high-powered committee of eminent people, experts and representatives of Congress and BJP to look into various violations that have gone on in Delhi for years and come out with a practical solution."
Maintaining that all sorts of building and land law violations cannot be clubbed together indiscriminately, Mr Reddy said the MCD should focus on more grave violations and the ongoing unauthorised constructions in the Capital.
The Urban Development Minister said that MCD would inform the court that the Government has constituted a high-powered committee to find a solution to the matter. Observing that the MCD will seek instructions from the High Court, Mr Reddy said that it would submit a plan of action and obtain necessary instructions from the court.
Asked if it meant that MCD should stop demolition of private properties and those in Lal Dora areas till the findings of the committee, the Urban Development Minister parried the question and only said MCD should concentrate on encroachment on public land, which was a more serious violation.
On the Delhi Government demand for an ordinance along the lines of Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra, Mr Reddy said that the "objective behind such a measure was to provide relief to the people. These measures (constitution of a committee) are also towards that."
The Chief Minister did not comment on the meeting, saying only Mr Reddy would speak on the matter. But she did say that she was hopeful that the Government would find a viable solution to the ongoing crisis after the fruitful discussion with the Prime Minister and other senior leaders. The Delhi Government had earlier written to Urban Development Ministry to bring an act on the lines of Ulhasnagar to find a practical solution to the demolitions. A source in the Government said that there was consensus in the meeting that land mafiosi who have encroached on the public land should not be spared. The proposal of the ordinance on the line of Ulhasnagar was shot down by the UDM due to the multiplicity of land owning agencies in Delhi and the impending Budget session in Parliament.
"If the Government brings ordinance, three Acts - DMC, NDMC and Delhi Land Reforms would automatically get nullified, so the proposal of Ordinance was rejected," the source said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This issue can bring down government. Every sector is affected by current demolition drive. Those who are from Delhi know very well how MCD works. Previously BJP lost Delhi because of demolition drive by JagMohan in Lajpat Nagar area. Congress made big issue and won election.
Now Congress is trying to ignore Court, involvement of PM and special committee is hilarious. Major violators are VVIP and their families but current demolitions are hitting common people. Initially Sheila Dixit was able to hide her file and later it appeared mysteriously.
Why MCD was sleeping when these people were building houses?
Andhra Pradesh Congress minister had recently completely changed his official residence design in protected area. Even media raised issue but PMO and MCD ignored.
Rajesh Kumar / New Delhi
MCD told to go after big offenders, others gustakhi maaf ----- Public figures must raze their unauthorised structures to save themselves the embarrassment of demolitions. This appeared to be the general consensus at a 75 minute meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
The meeting also directed the MCD to ply its bulldozers as of now on structures which have encroached Government land rather than target residences with minor violations of the building bylaws.
The Ministry of Urban Development (UDM) has been asked to submit a firm proposal on the matter after taking into account opinion of political parties, experts and citizen groups.
The Prime Minister directed the UDM to constitute a high-powered committee to come up with practical solutions to end the current "uncertainty". The committee, which will be constituted in the next few days, will submit its report in three months time.
After the meeting, Mr Reddy said: "Prime Minister Singh has desired that the current uncertainty in the Capital's ongoing drive should be brought to an end. After taking various factors into consideration, it was decided that Urban Development Ministry should appoint a high-powered committee of eminent people, experts and representatives of Congress and BJP to look into various violations that have gone on in Delhi for years and come out with a practical solution."
Maintaining that all sorts of building and land law violations cannot be clubbed together indiscriminately, Mr Reddy said the MCD should focus on more grave violations and the ongoing unauthorised constructions in the Capital.
The Urban Development Minister said that MCD would inform the court that the Government has constituted a high-powered committee to find a solution to the matter. Observing that the MCD will seek instructions from the High Court, Mr Reddy said that it would submit a plan of action and obtain necessary instructions from the court.
Asked if it meant that MCD should stop demolition of private properties and those in Lal Dora areas till the findings of the committee, the Urban Development Minister parried the question and only said MCD should concentrate on encroachment on public land, which was a more serious violation.
On the Delhi Government demand for an ordinance along the lines of Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra, Mr Reddy said that the "objective behind such a measure was to provide relief to the people. These measures (constitution of a committee) are also towards that."
The Chief Minister did not comment on the meeting, saying only Mr Reddy would speak on the matter. But she did say that she was hopeful that the Government would find a viable solution to the ongoing crisis after the fruitful discussion with the Prime Minister and other senior leaders. The Delhi Government had earlier written to Urban Development Ministry to bring an act on the lines of Ulhasnagar to find a practical solution to the demolitions. A source in the Government said that there was consensus in the meeting that land mafiosi who have encroached on the public land should not be spared. The proposal of the ordinance on the line of Ulhasnagar was shot down by the UDM due to the multiplicity of land owning agencies in Delhi and the impending Budget session in Parliament.
"If the Government brings ordinance, three Acts - DMC, NDMC and Delhi Land Reforms would automatically get nullified, so the proposal of Ordinance was rejected," the source said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This issue can bring down government. Every sector is affected by current demolition drive. Those who are from Delhi know very well how MCD works. Previously BJP lost Delhi because of demolition drive by JagMohan in Lajpat Nagar area. Congress made big issue and won election.
Now Congress is trying to ignore Court, involvement of PM and special committee is hilarious. Major violators are VVIP and their families but current demolitions are hitting common people. Initially Sheila Dixit was able to hide her file and later it appeared mysteriously.
Why MCD was sleeping when these people were building houses?
Andhra Pradesh Congress minister had recently completely changed his official residence design in protected area. Even media raised issue but PMO and MCD ignored.