Traders call Delhi bandh over sealing, schools shut
The Capital is likely to plunge into chaos once again with the Supreme Court ordering full-fledged resumption of the sealing drive and the traders’ unions calling for fresh protest action beginning Tuesday.
Hours after the Apex Court asked the MCD authorities to resume a campaign to seal all unauthorised business establishments in Delhi’s residential areas, the Group of Minister decided to go ahead with the SC order and resume sealings immediately.
After a meeting of the Group of Ministers, which met to deliberate on the issue, Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy said, “The Supreme Court order is paramount and binding. We don’t have an option but to implement it.”
Regretting that the Government, which approached the court more than once to apprise it of the ‘difficulties’ on the ground, failed to get any relief for the traders, he said the matter will be taken up in the Cabinet.
That means 44,000 traders who had filed affidavits saying they will shut shops but did not do so could face sealing.
Within no time, the traders’ body – Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) – called for a 24-hour Delhi bandh on Tuesday.
The Government has also said that all government schools will remain closed for the next two days in view of the present situation. An advisory by the Government has also been sent to the private schools.