Outer Delhi Cong MLAs meet LG, CM on sealing issue

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) Urging Lieutenant Governor B L Joshi and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to immediately put a stop to the sealing and demolition drives in Delhi, nine Congress MLAs from the Outer Delhi Assembly segment today threatened to wage a "decisive battle" if no decision was taken in the matter by the Government.

In a memorandum to the Lt Governor, the Outer Delhi MLAs, led by Mr Mukesh Sharma, urged him to give relief to the people of Delhi by exercising his powers as the Constitutional head of the Capital, to stop the demolition drive and the sealing of shops.

Impressing upon Mr Joshi that most of the shopkeepers in the capital have put their life's earnings in their business ventures which not only support their families but that of scores of others, the MLAs, who including Mr Mahabal Misra, Mr Surender Kumar, Mr S C Vats, Mr Malaram Gangwal, Mr Anil Bhardwaj, Dr Bijender Singh and Mr Vijay Singh Lochav, said if the sealing drive was not stopped the traders would not even be able to deposit the school fees of their children.

They urged the Lt Governor to declare all those roads with 50 per cent business establishments as commercial areas which would save lakhs of people from being rendered unemployed. They also said the DDA and the state Government should elicit views of the MLAs before formulating the Master Plan 2021.

Mr Joshi assured the MLAs that he would request the DDA to have extensive discussions wih the MLAs before formulating the 2021 Master Plan so that all aspects could be considered.

In a separate meeting with the Chief Minister, the MLAs urged her to immediately put a stop to the ongoing sealing and demolition operations.

The MLAs warned of ''terrible political consequences'' if the the drive was not halted.

UNI AR YA VC1835