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Discussions on the sealing issue reigned paramount at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Standing Committee meeting here on Wednesday.

The Standing Committee unanimously decided to propose addition of unauthorised colonies to the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Bill, 2007, that seeks exemption for street vendors, slum dwellers, unauthorised farmhouses and religious and educational institutions on unauthorised land from sealing for one year. The Bill will be tabled in Parliament.
‘Similar treatment’

“When farmhouses and street vendors can be given a year’s time, then the issue of unauthorised colonies, which affects over 40 lakh people, should also be given similar treatment,” said Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta.

“Last year the Government had put a year’s moratorium on the sealing drive. We will demand another year’s respite to leave the unauthorised colonies untouched since the regularisation process is in the pipeline,” he added.

Earlier, even before Mr. Gupta had taken his seat, Leader of the Opposition J. K. Sharma and his supporting councillors held up placards demanding a prompt cessation of the sealing drive.

“Let the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee utilise its own staff if they are so keen on renewing the sealing drive. The MCD will not resume sealing because the Government is working on regularising the unauthorised colonies,” he said.

Former Deputy Mayor Anita Babbar said sealing was still being carried out at New Moti Nagar despite the fact that the residents had cleared all their dues with the civic body.

Describing the sealing operations at New Moti Nagar “a different issue”, Commissioner Ashok Kumar explained: “I was apprised of the matter an hour ago by the Deputy Commissioners. The sealing drive is being conducted there because 54 houses with construction discrepancies were brought to the attention of the court. Till the court itself modifies the order, none of us have the power to go against its judgement.”