BJP urges Reddy to give permanent relief to traders from sealing

New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) The Delhi BJP today urged Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy to provide permanent relief to traders and the general public from sealing and demolition through Constitutional amendment, Amnesty scheme and other measures.

In a letter written to Mr Reddy, BJP Delhi Pradesh President Harshvardhan demanded that he should fulfil his assurances given in the Parliament.

Stating that MCD notifications to begin sealing of commercial units soon had taken away the zeal of the people to celebrate Diwali and Id festivals, Dr Harshvardhan said,''even on occasion of Deepawali and Id festivals, the MCD, by issuing public notifications regarding sealing of commercial units, has created terror among the traders and general public.

Dr Harshvardhan said that on the appeal of the Government, 40,814 traders of the capital had submitted affidavits with the hope that the Central and Delhi Governments would provide relief to them.

Mr Reddy had also announced in Parliament that the Government would even resort to Constitutional amendments to save the livelihood of the traders.

''But the stern attitude of the Court continues. Also, the Central and the Delhi Congress Governments, Urban Development Ministry and the Group of Ministers are not providing any relief to the traders and the general public of Delhi. Only assurances are being given to the people,''he said.

Apprehending that if sealing was started again then there would be a recurrence of violent incident like those in Seelampur and other parts of the capital during the Delhi Bandh, he said,''the Government has not learnt any lesson from the violent incidents in Seelampur some days ago where three people had died and hundreds were injured. If sealing is started again then there is apprehension of similar violent incidents. Besides loss of lives there is possibility of loss of properties worth crores and there is also apprehension of breakdown of law and order in the capital.'' Dr Harshvardhan appealed to Mr Reddy that the Government and the Urban Development Ministry by utilising its influence, should take initiative to regularise all the illegal and additional constructions, shops, residential accommodation etc. by introducing a general Amnesty plan.

''He should implement the recommendations of Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra committee, Justice Tejender Khanna committee etc. If the Government desires it can put the Delhi Special Laws (Provision) Act 2006 in the ninth schedule by an Constitutional amendment. It will result in making the judicial process automatically ineffective and all the traders and general public of Delhi shall get relief.

The Government can also provide relief to the traders and general public by making the Master Plan 2021 more liberal and by immediately implementing it,''Dr Harshvardhan said.

Meanwhile, the traders, intensifying their agitation on the sealing issue launched an 'anti-sealing week' from today, during which public meetings, demonstrations, dharnas and rallies will be held.

While deciding to oppose sealing, the traders have also declared not to celebrate Diwali this year.

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