Sealing: MCD urges Centre, Delhi govt to approach SC

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has urged the Centre and Delhi Government to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court to stop sealing of commercial units in unauthorised colonies.

Addressing a press conference here, MCD Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta and MCD House Leader Subhash Arya said the MCD had strongly recommended to the Centre and the Delhi Government to file a PIL in the apex court to stop any action on the order of the Monitoring Committee to seal, from today, commercial units in unauthorised colonies as well as on roads not yet notified as commercial or mixed use under the 2021 Master Plan.

The PIL should mention that the Centre has initiated a process of regularisation of the unauthorised colonies and hence sealing action in these areas be halted, they said.

Both Mr Gupta and Mr Arya said they would soon meet Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to urge their immediate intervention in this regard.

They said carrying out sealing in unauthorised colonies would deprieve residents of these areas, who belong to the middle or the lower middle class of society, of their sole means of livelihood.

Asked whether the failure of the MCD to carry out sealing in these areas, as per the order of the Monitoring Committee, would not amount to the contempt of court, Mr Arya said, the MCD would put forth their viewpoint before the Supreme Court in this regard.

In a letter issued on August 14 to the MCD and the DDA, the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee has ordered that the sealing action in the above areas be started immediately.

The Delhi Police has also been asked to provide the necessary force to the MCD.

Mr Gupta and Mr Arya also urged the Urban Development Ministry to accelerate the process of regulation of the unauthorised colonies to ensure relief to people of these areas.

UNI