Delhi
High Court again refuses to stay demolition
by Vikram Vishal
New
Delhi: Maintaining its earlier stance, the Delhi High
Court on Tuesday again refused to stay the ongoing demolitions
in Lal Dora area on Mehrauli-Gurgaon road of the capital
housing several showrooms of high profile designers, and
posted the case for further hearing to February 14. Refusing
to grant an interim stay on the demolition drive by the
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), a Division Bench comprising
Justices Vijender Jain and Rekha Sharma directed the MCD
to furnish all the relevant documents and notifications
purported to have granted exemption with regards to the
construction of commercial properties in the area.
The court's directive came in the wake of argument by counsel
KTS Tulsi who is appearing for fashion designer Rohit Bal
and others, claiming such exemptions by citing notifications
said to have been issued by the MCD and revenue officials.
The designers owning shops at the MG 2 shopping mall had
filed a writ petition seeking to quash MCD's demolition
drive, saying the demolitions were illegal as they were
being carried out without any prior notice to the occupiers.
The High Court, however, questioned the local stand of the
petitioners who were neither the builders nor the owners
of the illegal structures but were only occupiers on rent.
The court had earlier observed that the 'Lal Dora' area
meant for villagers and they must not be commercialised.
The MCD has in the last one month, taken action against
many illegal properties following the direction of the High
Court. Citizens of Delhi have been crying foul over illegal
constructions progressing at a tremendous pace in various
areas even as the MCD claims to be targeting ongoing constructions.
In all, according to the MCD, there are 3.2 million illegal
constructions in the capital and it is expected that a Central
panel would appointed to assess which constructions can
be regularised.
Demolitions
continue on Delhi's fashion designer malls
New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) resumed
its demolition drive in the MG Road Lal Dora area today
as the Delhi High Court on Monday refused to stay demolitions
on high profile fashion malls situated in the area. The
court had earlier observed that the 'Lal Dora' area, where
the malls were constructed, meant for villagers and they
must not be commercialised. The fashion designers owning
shops at the MG-2 shopping mall on Mehrauli-Gurgaon road,
however, had filed a writ petition seeking stay on the ongoing
demolitions on the ground that the constructions were made
prior to the year 2000, and the court's orders were applicable
to constructions made after January 2001. Though the High
Court will be hearing the case later in the day, the MCD
pulled down outlets in the ground floor of the multi- storeyed
building on orders from the High Court to demolish illegal
structures in the area. The MCD had earlier pulled down
parts of 1, MG shopping mall amidst protest by high-profile
fashion designers, shop owners and employees. Meanwhile,
Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy has ruled
out any ordinance to legalise the 'minor' illegal constructions
which are now being razed down by the civic body, but said
that other measures would be in place soon to save minor
building-law violations from MCD bulldozers. According to
sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to meet
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Reddy to discuss the issue.
Committee
on MCD's demolition drive
New
Delhi: The Centre has decided to set up a committee
to look into the ongoing demolition drive by the Municipal
Corporation of Delhi (MCD) against unauthorised constructions
in the Capital. The decision was taken by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh at a high-level meeting here today which
was attended by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Urban Development
Minister Jaipal Reddy and other senior Congress and Bharatiya
Janata Party leaders. "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," Reddy told reporters
after the meeting. "The committee, which will be constituted
in the next few days, will submit its report in three months
time," he added.
The meeting also decided to give its nod to the demolitions
against unauthorised constructions on government land. Jaipal
Reddy had yesterday said that the Centre was considering
promulgating an ordinance on the lines of the Maharashtra
Government to legalise the 'minor' illegal constructions,
which are now being razed down by the MCD. Reddy, however,
ruled out the possibility of bringing an ordinance over
the demolitions, saying with the budget session about to
start, it would not be possible to bring an ordinance to
this effect. However, Reddy took a strong exception against
the builder mafia network and said that stringent actions
would be taken against the land grabbers and the highly
influential people. Meanwhile, hundreds of activists of
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took to streets to protest
against the demolition drive. Led by prominent BJP leaders
Sahib Singh and Harsh Vardhan, the protest was chiefly against
what they termed the lackadaisical attitude of the Sheila
Dixit government in stopping the demolition. The protestors
raising slogans against Chief Minister Sheila Dixit were
heading towards her residence when the police detained them.
Demanding the resignation of Dixit, Sahib Singh said that
the present scenario showed the lack of coordination between
the Congress government at the centre and the state. "This
government is sleeping. The Congress government at the Centre
and the Congress government at the State have no co- ordination.
How much time do they need to take a stand on an issue?"
Singh said. The MCD has in the last one month, taken action
against many illegal properties following the direction
of the High Court. Citizens of Delhi have been crying foul
over illegal constructions progressing at a tremendous pace
in various areas even as the MCD claims to be targeting
ongoing constructions. In all, according to the MCD, there
are 3.2 million illegal constructions in the capital and
it is expected that a Central panel would appointed to assess
which constructions can be regularised.
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