The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday sought direct intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in resolving sealing issue. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the CAIT highlighted the issue of not obeying due process of law by the authorities, arbitrariness of the Monitoring Committee and demanded the Prime Minister to bring an Ordinance to stop sealing for at least one year.
The traders' body also mentioned that no action has been taken to save the interest of the traders. “If the apathy continues, we will be left with no option except handing over the keys to the Government or may shift to neighbouring cities or close down their businesses,” a statement from the CAIT office stated.
CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal alleged that sealing is being done in highly aggressive and unreasonable manner causing great hardships and sufferings, to traders. “The basic provisions of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act1957 are being blatantly flouted while conducting sealing. And not even a single opportunity of defence is given to traders,” he said.
Khandelwal said that the 'Supreme Court Appointed Monitoring Committee' has adopted an arbitrary mood in the matter of sealing and overreaching its powers. “The trades have been denied the benefit of fundamental provisions of MCD Act, 1957. Neither any showcause notice nor opportunity of placing defence is being given to traders,” he said.
Khandelwal further said that the civic body officials are working like puppets and defying their own MCD Act. “There is a state of confusion and terror due to sealing. The trade and economy are being badly affected as in the last three months businesses in Delhi have registered a decline by 40 per cent and if situation continues, the traders will be left with no other alternative but to shift their business to neighbouring cities which will cause huge revenue loss to the
Delhi Government,” he added.
While urging the Prime Minister to bring an Ordinance to stop sealing, the CAIT also said that officials should be advised to follow due process of law strictly and a high-level committee may be constituted under Chairmanship of lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal consisting of senior officials of Central and State Government and representatives of trade to thrash out each issue pertaining to sealing.
Traders in the national Capital have been hit hard after building department of the municipal corporations had started sealing business establishments for non-payment of conversion charges, encroachment and illegal construction on the instructions of the SC-appointed Monitoring Committee.
Thousands of shops have been sealed since last December and there is still no sigh of relief amid all the alleged coordinated efforts put up by all concerned. Faced with no other options, traders' associations went ahead with two-day strike across the national Capital.