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Centre moves SC over shop-sealing drive
Farhad Suri elected Delhi Mayor
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Centre moves SC over shop-sealing drive
New Delhi, April 12 In view of the Union Urban Development Ministry earlier proposal to permit mixed land use on certain roads and streets, the government in its application requested the apex court to give Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) at least six months’ time to identify such roads and lanes by conducing a survey on the ground level. Drawing the attention of the court to the proposed Delhi Master Plan 2021, prescribing use of ground floor for commercial purposes to the extent of 25 per cent or 50 sq meters, the application moved by the Urban Development Ministry said that till a fresh survey was conducted, the MCD may be directed not to seal the commercial premises in residential areas. Such a survey would have to be conducted as per the provisions of the Delhi Master Plan, and the request for extension of the time by six months was being made due to certain “genuine” problems being faced by the MCD and the law enforcement agencies engaged in the ongoing drive, the government said. Fearing that such a step could not be taken as to overcome the order of the court, the Ministry said the government plea should not be taken as a step to circumvent the directives to seal illegal commercial ventures in residential areas. The aim of the government to seek time was to “suggest a reasonable, proper and lasting solution to the problem genuinely being faced by all sections of the people in the Capital,” the Ministry said. The MCD drive to seal the commercial ventures is presently confined to 189 roads of 80 ft wide. Due to ‘improper’ survey, a confusion was prevailing in the minds of the shop owners and residents and it was necessary also to avoid hardship to the “bona fide” users of the properties for commercial purposes, it said. The government admitted that a lot of “ambiguities and contradictions” prevailed in the matter relating to notification of mixed land use and it intended to set an expert committee, comprising eminent town planners, architects and the representatives of the public to examine the entire issue so that fresh guidelines could be issued to MCD. The government counsel indicated that they might make a mention of the filing of the application and its urgent hearing tomorrow. The MCD had informed the court on March 20 that it had identified 189 streets of 80 ft or more width on which more than 50 per cent of the buildings were commercialised and said that action would be taken against all properties committing misuse these streets irrespective of the extent of violation. On March 24, the court directed MCD to commence sealing of the properties being misused from March 29 if they did not file an affidavit before the civic body undertaking to remove their commercial establishment from the residential premises. On April 3 it extended the deadline for filing of such affidavits till April 7 and ordered that on filing of such affidavits, commercial establishments already sealed be de-sealed and water and power, if disconnected, restored. Meanwhile, the MCD operation seems to be fast losing steam. The eleventh day of the sealing operation saw just 330 shops being put to seal. With today’s sealing, a total of 3894 shops in the residential areas have been sealed since the operation began on March 29. The maximum number of 54 shops were sealed in the Civil Lines area followed by 52 in Shahadara (South), 50 in Sadar Paharganj area, 40 in Karol Bagh area, 35 in central Zone and 34 in Najafgarh.
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Farhad Suri elected Delhi Mayor
New Delhi, April 12 The first Mayor was Ms Jaishree Panwar followed by Mr Ashok Jain, Mr A. R. Varma and outgoing Mayor Mr Satbir Singh. Mr Suri bagged 107 votes in the 133-strong house, where the Congress has 109 councillors. Other councillors belong to the BJP, the BSP and there are some Independents. While five Congress councillors were absent during the voting, one Independent did not vote. Besides the Congress’ 104 votes, Mr Suri also got the support of three Independents. The whole proceedings were marked by noisy and unruly scenes by BJP members who later walked out of the house protesting against his alleged involvement in criminal cases. According to a senior councillor, the Congress is playing a political game by electing Farhad Suri as Mayor. The municipality election is to be held next year and by using the Mayor’s name the party can bag the minority vote, he alleged. His opponent Ms Savita Gupta failed to get even a single vote as all the BJP members walked out protesting Mr Suri’s candidature as his name allegedly figured in a criminal case. A senior Congress councillor who also made the allegation voted in favour of Mr Suri after a directive was issued by the high command. Mr Suri represents Nizamuddin segment of the corporation. When Mr Ram Babu Sharma was the Leader of the House, Mr Suri was elected Chairman of the Education Committee. Later, he was taken to the powerful Standing Committee. According to sources, Mr Suri belongs to the Sheila Dikshit group. Last year, when Mr Satbir Singh was elected for the coveted post, Mr Suri also tried by ‘playing the minority game’ but he was not permitted by the high command. This time he managed to get the support of the high command. Ms Anita Babbar, a Congress councillor, has been elected Deputy Mayor defeating her rival BJP councillor Mr Surendra Singh. As many as nine members, including six from ward committees, were to be elected unopposed to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s Standing Committee. Among those who would be declared elected are Standing Committee Chairman Mr Mukesh Goel and Leader of Opposition in the committee Mr Vijender Gupta. Addressing the House after the election, Mr Farhad Suri said that as first citizen of Delhi, his priority would be to usher in transparency in the administration so that there was no delay in development works and projects being implemented by the MCD. “As a Mayor my endeavour would be to ensure that all the money that is collected by way of house tax and other revenues is spent for the benefit of the public,” he said. Expressing hope that the crisis arising in Delhi due to the sealing of shops in residential areas as per order of the apex court would be resolved soon, the Mayor said he would seek the cooperation of all members cutting across party lines to solve the problems confronting the people. Stressing the need for accountability among the councillors as well as members of the administration, he said, “We must not forget that all the power that we wield flow from the people. Hence, our first and foremost obligation is towards the people and to ensure that their interests are safeguard. “The people of Delhi will not forgive us if we do not work steadfastly to solve their problems,” he said. On the issue of house tax arrears, the newly elected Mayor said that the corporation should fix monthly targets for collection of house tax to reduce the arrears.
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Congress councillor Mr Farhad Suri was today elected Delhi Mayor in the midst of a walkout by BJP members of the MCD House protesting his alleged involvement in a criminal case. He is the fifth Mayor since the Congress has come to power in the MCD.
