Traders Meet LG, MCD Commissioner on shops sealing issue

New Delhi, Apr 3 (UNI) Traders belonging to various trade bodies of Delhi today met Lieutenant Governor B L Joshi and sought his direct intervention on the issue of sealing of shops in commercial areas.

The traders also met MCD Commissioner A K Nigam and demanded notification of a nodal officer', at the MCD level, to monitor the sealings who the traders can approach in case of any arbitrary or irregular sealing.

Among the members of the traders delegation which met the Lieutenant Governor were General Secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders Praveen Khandelwal, Chairman, Walled City Traders Federation, Subhash Goel, CAIT Delhi State General Secretary Narender Madan&Secretary Ramesh Ahuja.

In a petition submitted to Mr Joshi, the delegation apprised him with pre and post sealing situation in Delhi. They alleged that the sealing had caused great amount of terror and anxiety among the trading community of Delhi and also that MCD officials had not placed material and true facts of the case before the Supreme Court.

They alleged that the sealing process was being carried in utter disregard of court order as basements and empty upper floors in buildings had been sealed which they said is a gross irregularity as basements' are allowed to be used as storage space or godowns'.

Mr Joshi assured the delegation that any sealing done outside the purview of the court order would be dealt with seriously and relief would be given.

In the meeting with MCD Commissioner A K Nigam, the traders raised the issue of sealing of basement' and empty upper floors' in various areas in utter disregard of the court order.

Mr Nigam assured the delegation that he would issue suitable directions to MCD officials in this regard. He said no undue harrassment would be caused to anyone in Delhi during the sealing process as the MCD staff had been instructed to go strictly within parameters of Supreme Court order.

The traders of Delhi plan to gherao' the MCD Headquarter Building at Town Hall in Chandni Chowk tomorrow.

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