62 shops put to seal, shops on ring road in W Delhi under scanner

New Delhi, Nov 15 (UNI) Even as the Supreme Court today indicated some relief for 25000 traders who had given affidavits that they would stop misuse by June 30, 2006 provided they first closed down the units, the sealing drive of the Municipal corporation of Delhi continued with 62 shops put to seal.

Falling under the MCD scanner were 54 units located at Ring Road from Raja Garden Chowk to Mayapuri in West Zone. Another eight units located in South zone at Africa Avenue Road were also sealed today, an MCD spokesperson said.

The major properties sealed on the Ring road include Guru Nanak Marble House, Jain Marble Emporium and Bath&Marble House, the spokesperson said.

The sealing operation was conducted peacefully with no law and order problem reported at the sealing sites.

With today's sealing, the MCD has, since the beginning of the sealing drive on November 8, as per orders of the Supreme Court, sealed a total of 800 commercial units, including 385 in the South Zone, 229 in Central zone and 132 in the Najafgarh zone and 54 in West zone.

The MCD also initiated demolition action against ongoing unauthorised construction in four properties in G T B Enclave.

The action will continue till November 17.

The sealing and demolition action came even as a division Bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justices C K Thakker and R V Raveendran, while adjourning till November 21 the hearing of the applications filed by the Centre and the MCD seeking relief for 25000 odd traders at par with other traders who are similarly protected by the two impugned notifications dated September 7 and 15 permitting commercial activities along 2183 roads in Delhi, made it clear that traders must comply with the undertaking given by them first and this court may later consider giving them appropriate relief.

The apex court today directed the Monitoring committee not to disconnect water and power supply of those traders who close down their establishments by November 29 and file affidavits to this effect.

The court, however indicated once the 25000 traders keep their promise of stopping the misuse on their own, it can consider of permitting them to resume commercial activitites subject to their filing of fresh affidavits latest by January 31, 2007, stating that they would stop the misuse the moment the two government notifications are invalidated by the apex court.

UNI AR YA RAI2009