GoM on sealing meets Delhi traders delegation

New Delhi, Oct 19 (UNI) A delegation of traders today met the Group of Ministers on sealing and stressed on the need for a Constitutional amendment to regularise all business establishments in the national capital that existed on December 31 last.

The delegation submitted a memorandum demanding that about seven lakh business establishments existed in the city out of which less than one lakh traders were expected to get relief from sealing even as about 1.5 lakh traders, those on basements, Delhi Development Authority flats and operating business in upper floors in mixed land use areas were likely to face sealing even when they were situated on notified roads.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Law Minister H R Bhardwaj, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, Social Welfare Minister Meira Kumar, Delhi Lt Governor B L Joshi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul and Municipal Corporation of Delhi Ashok Nigam, besides senior government officials were present at the GoM meeting.

The traders' delegation further pointed out that apart from 45,000 traders who had filed affidavits, about 4.5 lakh traders were out of the ambit of notified roads and would have their properties sealed with effect from November 1.

The delegation said Delhi also had a floating population of about five lakh out which about 30 per cent of the people were employed with the government and the public sector while the rest depended on private businesses for earning their bread and butter.

They sought that the MCD should be directed to carry out a survey of roads for notification in the Master Plan 2021.

The government should also consult traders while enlarging the ambit of professional activities that could be carried in residential areas, they said, adding that 1,472 unauthorised colonies identified by DDA should be regularised immediately.

The GoM also discussed yesterday's Supreme Court order in which it extended till January 31 next the date for filing affidavits by those traders who were protected by the last month notifications stating therein that they will stop the misuser if the impugned notifications were quashed by the apex court as unconstitutional.

The court, however, refused to grant any relief to traders who had filed affidavits earlier stating therein that they would stop the misuser by June 30 this year meaning thereby that these traders shall have to close down on November 1, 2006 as per its order dated September 29.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice R V Raveendran refused to recall the restraint order directing the government not to issue any further notification without the permission of the apex court.

But the court clarified that the order dated September 29 would not apply to any notification in respect of the Master Plan 2021 meaning, thereby the government was free to issue any notification with regard to the plan.

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