GoM on sealing discusses problems arising out of Sep 29 order

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) The Group of Ministers set up by the Centre on the sealing issue today discussed ways to achieve a practical solution to the difficulties for small traders arising out of the Supreme Court September 29 order.

Noting that the Court order had given rise to several practical difficulties, including the court making it mandatory for nearly 3.5 lakh small traders covered by the September 7 notification of the Urban Development Ministry to file affidavits and a certificate by an architect, the GoM directed the Law Ministry and the Urban Development Ministry to devise ways to achieve a solution to the problems including apprising the court of the practical difficulties arising out of the order.

''The GoM analysed the September 29 order of the Supreme Court and the practical difficulties that had arisen from it. Accordingly, the Law and the Urban Development Ministries have been asked to devise ways to achieve a solution to the problems including apprising the court of the difficulties arising out of the order,''Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy told reporters here after a meeting of the GoM this evening.

At the meeting, which was also attended by Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath, Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal, Union Minister Meira Kumar, Lt Governor of Delhi B L Joshi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul and MCD Commissioner A K Nigam and Delhi Chief Secretary S Narayanswamy also discussed the problems of the 50000 traders who had already filed affidavits with the Supreme Court to close their shops upto June 30.

''Nearly 3.5 lakh traders who were provided relief in the September 7 notification have been asked by the Court to file affidavits and a certificate by a registered architect. This is a big problem for which a solution has to be found,''Mr Reddy said.

Stating that the Centre would support any plea filed by these traders in the court, the Union Urban Development Minister said, ''however, it is for the traders to take an initiative to file a petition.'' He said the subject of Master Plan 2021 did not come up for discussion.

''The process of finalising the Master Plan 2021 is a separate issue. At present our first priority is to deal with the problems arising out of the amendments of the Master Plan 2001,''Mr Reddy said.

The Group of Ministers (GoM) was constituted under Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil after widespread violence during a Delhi Bandh by traders last month to protest against continuing sealing of shops in residential areas despite the Septemeber 15 notification by the Delhi Government declaring 2183 roads in various areas of Delhi as commercial/mixed use roads.

UNI AR PA KN1955