The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday expressed utter dismay over Supreme Court's decision to stay the proposed amendments to 'Master Plan-2021' by the Central Government to provide relief to the traders from ongoing sealing. The traders' body has also convened a meeting of leaders of prominent trade associations to chalk out future course of action.
CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said, "Since now no other way is left, the Central Government should take cognisance and immediately table a Bill in the current session of Parliament to issue a moratorium on sealing in the national Capital."
Khandelwal said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should also come in action and convene a one-day special session of Delhi Assembly and pass a Bill to stop sealing and forward it to the Centre for its approval.
He also said the apex court has cast certain reflections on working of DDA and municipal corporations. The CAIT has already said that since first Master Plan in 1962 till date both DDA and municipal corporations have failed in discharging their obligations envisaged under different Master Plans and because of them, the traders have been made scapegoat. "It would be much better if both these bodies should be privatized," he added.
Khandelwal also said a CAIT delegation will soon meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri, Delhi lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, requesting them to bring a Bill in Parliament.
The current sealing drive in Delhi is not happening for the first time. The city had witnessed a massive sealing drive in 2006 followed by violent protests from traders. This time round, the sealing drive is being carried out again against business establishments that are using residential properties for commercial purposes without paying conversion charges.
In March 2006, the Supreme Court had ordered the sealing of all unauthorised construction and also appointed a Monitoring Committee to conduct the sealing drive under its supervision. It was further revised on December 15, 2017 with three members -- comprising former adviser to the Election Commission KJ Rao, chairman of Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) Bhure lal and Major General (retd) Som Jhingan of the team.
However, the traders' body had already sent a 12-point charter of demand to Hardeep Puri urging him to take necessary steps to mitigate the problems of the traders on account of sealing.
The charter also demanded a new survey of roads, which have not been surveyed so far, be conducted and notify them as commercial or mixed land use, the warehouses or godowns made on agriculture land or in non-conforming areas should be allowed to conduct any type of business activity, the negative trade should be allowed to operate until the time such trade are shifted and the condition of obtaining no objection from fire department for usage of basement should be abolished.
Traders in the national Capital have been hit hard after building department of the municipal corporations initiated sealing business establishments for non-payment of conversion charges, encroachment and illegal construction on the instructions of the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee.
Thousands of shops have been sealed since last December and there is still no sign of relief amid all the coordinated efforts put up by all concerned.