Amend MPD 2021 instead of one yr moratorium on sealing: Arya

New Delhi, Feb 13 (UNI) Leader of the MCD House Subhash Arya and the Chairman of the Standing Committee Vijender Gupta today demanded that the Centre bring about an amendment in the Delhi 2021 Master Plan regarding introduction of a one time Amnesty scheme instead of a year's moratorium on sealing and demolition.

Addressing a joint press conference, they said all BJP municipal councillors will participate in a rally on February 16, which would culminate with the MCD Councillors submitting a memorandum to the Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, demanding his ministry bring out a One Time Amnesty Scheme after amending Delhi Master Plan-2021.

Talking to reporters, the two leaders said the one year moratorium provided by the January 30 notification was confusing and misguiding and only brought to take political mileage keeping in view the Delhi Legislative Assembly Elections.

''The Notification by the Union Urban Development Minister only gives moratorium on sealing and demolition upto December 31, 2008,'' they said.

Mr Arya alleged that the Congress always remained against giving permanent relief to citizens of Delhi from sealing and demolition and therefore, from time to time, it was giving temporary relief so as to take political mileage out of it.

''The BJP is, again and again, demanding from the Centre that One Time Amnesty Scheme as per recommendations of Malhotra Committee be implemented under which the unauthorised constructions carried upto December 31, 2006 shall be regularised. The citizens of Delhi can only benefit by this Scheme,''he said.

Mr Gupta said the properties to be desealed under the Centre's Notification are meagre and majority of these are to be desealed by Delhi Development Authority.

Mr Arya told reporters that the BJP has filed an application before the Supreme Court, pleaded by former Union Minister and Advocate Ravi Shanker. The Supreme Court, after hearing the pleadings, has allowed MCD to deseal properties provided the property owner/occupier gives as affidavit.

The BJP leaders, however, said the Centre's Notification did not cover colonies of DDA and unauthorised regularised colonies, which is creating confusion among citizens.

Mr Arya said the limit of FAR with regard to construction carried out upto December 31 needed to be removed and sub-division of residential plots allowed. Similarly, construction of sun-sheds should also be allowed.

For all this, the Central Government should amend Master Plan -2021 suitably so as to save citizens from sealing and demolition.

UNI AR VD HT1807