After 2 day break, MCD resumes sealing of shops

New Delhi, Nov 13: After a two day break, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi today resumed its operation of sealing commercial units in Delhi, as per the orders of the Supreme Court.

Sealing of shops began today in areas falling under the Central Zone and South zone of the MCD.

A spokesperson for the MCD said sealing operations were on at Veer Savarkar Marg in South Delhi.

Today is the fourth day of the sealing operations since the drive began on November 8, after the Supreme court, ruling on the petitions of the Centre, MCD and the Delhi Government to postpone the sealing drive, said the sealing of shops in Delhi would continue as per its directions on September 29.

The MCD has sealed about 350 shops, most of them in the posh South Delhi area, ever since the sealing drive began on November 8.

The sealed units include several shopping arcades like the CTC Plaza located at Maharani Bagh.

Falling under the sealing drive are the over 40,000 traders who had submitted affidavits in the Supreme Court to close down their units by October 31. Also falling under the purview of the drive are traders whose units fall under the negative list of items mentioned in the September 7 notification of the Urban Development Ministry.

Traders in the capital observed a Delhi Bandh on Friday in protest against resumption of sealing of commercial establishments.

Though the bandh passed off peacefully, demonstrations were held in different parts of the Delhi and over 300 people were detained and 12 arrested as preventive measure.

Meanwhile, on Friday the Group of Ministers on the sealing issue discussed the issue of providing relief to traders affected by the Supreme Court order.

The GoM, headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, discussed various options available to the government.

''The sealing was going on while the traders had given a call for bandh. It was a matter of concern. The GoM evaluated the situation.

There is tension in Delhi, still no violent incident was reported for which we thank the people of Delhi as they remained patient,'' Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy told reporters after the one-hour-long meeting.

He said the GoM deliberated on how to provide relief to traders.

UNI