Water, electricity supply of sealed units to be cut off

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) The Monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee implementation of its order for sealing of commercial units in residential areas has directed that the supply of electricity and water to the sealed premises be disconnected at the time of sealing.

The monitoring committee, set up by the Supreme Court vide its order dtd March 24, last evening addressed a meeting of senior officers of the MCD, NDPL, BSES and Delhi Jal Board wherein the bodies were asked to work in coordination to ensure that electricity and water connections to the commercial units be immediately disconnected to achieve effective results, a spokesperson of the corporation said.

The Monitoring committee, comprising former advisor to Election Commission K J Rao, Chairman of the Environmental control authority Bhure Lal and Major General (Retired) S P Jhingan, firmly conveyed that any violation of sealing action, particularly in terms of the breaking of seal, must not be toleraetd and stern action should be taken as per the February 16 Supreme Court order.

Those who attended yesetrday's meeting of the monitoring committee included the Municipal Commissioner, Additional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Engineer-in-Chief, town planner, Chief law officer and other senior MCD officials and chief operating officers of NDPL and BSES and Director (Revenue), Delhi Jal Board.

The committee impress3d upon the officers that the Supreme Court orders must be implemented in terms of the letter and spirit of the court's direction and there must be well coordinated and focussed action. The watchword must be "enforcement" which should not be neglected at any cost.

To bring the violators to book, the monitoring committee directed that in case of any breaking of the sealing, FIR must be immediately filed and arrangement made for video recording.

The committee this morning also had a meeting with the Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul and MCD officials in its office wherein it impressed upon the Commissioner and MCD officials the need to ensure proper coordination within the departments to ensure speedy, effective and peaceful sealing action as per the scheduled programme.

UNI AR LS KP1806