LS takes up Bill to stop demolition drive in Delhi

New Delhi, May 12 (UNI) In a move aimed at stopping for a year the demolition drive against unauthorised constructions in Delhi, the government today introduced in the Lok Sabha a Bill which was immediately taken up for consideration and passage by this afternoon.

Piloting the Bill, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy said the government's move had become necessary in larger public interest to make special provisions to maintain status quo for a year from January 1, 2006.

Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP), whose party had stalled Parliament proceedings yesterday demanding immediate introduction of the Bill, said the proposed legislation had come ''too late'' and contained ''too little.'' Further the Bill had several loopholes and as such the proposed law would not stand scrutiny in a court of law and might fail to provide relief to the affected people whose 40,000 shops and 20,000 houses had been brought down in the past few months.

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