249 shops sealed on 25th day, Traders, RWAs meet monitoring committe

New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) Ahead of the May 5 hearing of the Supreme Court to on Centre's plea for a six-month moratorium on sealing fo shops, traders and the representatives of the Resident Welfare Associations today met the Court-appointed Monitoring committee of present their case even as the sealing operation by the MCD continued with 249 shops sealed on the 25th day.

At the same time, 41 shops were sealed between 1700 Hours and 2000 Hours yesterday.

The MCD also de-sealed 126 shops today while 41 shops were de-sealed between 1700 Hours to 2000 Hours yesterday.

With today's sealing a total of 9609 shops in the residential areas have been sealed since the operation began on March 29.

Sealing has already been completed in the city area.

In their meeting with the monitoring committee, the RWAs in various areas of Delhi strongly opposed the setting up of commercial complexes in residential areas and said the introduction of any law to regularise such complexes would constitute a breach of trust by the government.

As many as 350 RWAs attended the meeting, which lasted nearly three hours.

The committee, headed by Bhure Lal, earlier today, met traders from all parts of Delhi, who opposed the sealing of commercial units saying the livelihood of thousands of businessmen was at stake.

The traders demanded that the sealing drive be suspended keeping in view the principle of natural justice and giving due cognizance to the humanitarian aspect of the issue.

Later, addressing newspersons, chairman of the monitoring committee K J Rao said the committee had heard the suggestions of the RWAs and trader and all of them would be duly considered by it and the meaningful suggestions among them incorporated in its report before the Supreme Court.

UNI AR PM GC2040