179 shops sealed on 24th day

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) The MCD sealed 179 shops amid protests by traders and hunger strike by Congress MLAs against the sealing of shops in residential areas, which entered its 24th day today.

79 shops were sealed yesterday between 1700 hrs and 2000 hrs.

The MCD also desealed 53 shops today while 30 shops were desealed between 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs yesterday.

With today's sealing a total of 9,319 shops in the residential areas have been sealed since the operation began on March 29.

Sealing action has already been completed in the city area.

Meanwhile, the Congress continued with the relay hunger strike by the MLAs which entered the 19th day today when Mehrauli MLA Balram Tanwar sat on a hunger strike at Bhul Bhulia near the SDM's office, on the Mehrauli main road.

Tomorrow, a delegation of MLAs will meet Union Urban development minister Jaipal Reddy to impress upon him the need to bring an Ordinance or Bill to allow mixed land use and stop the sealing drive to save the livelihood and jobs of lakhs of people.

In another development, leader of the opposition in the Delhi assembly Jagdish Mukhi alleged that the owners of the de-sealed properties were being charged huge amounts by the electricity companies to provide temporary connections.

''The power distribution companies are taking an affidavit from the owners of the desealed properties that the temporary electricity connection is being granted to these desealed properties only upto June 30 and are charging Rs 500 per Kilowatt per week. Further, Rs 3500 has also been charged for installation of meter. In addition, wire to be used has to be provided by the consumer. This is being done even as the water connections of these de-sealed properties are being restored free of cost to the owners of these properties,'' Prof Mukhi said in a statement.

Calling for a probe by the Lt Governor in the matter, Prof Mukhi demanded that the consumers who have already deposited the fee be refunded the same and that the other consumers be restored their connections free of cost.

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