After conducting sealing drive against the “unauthorised” shops in the national capital, the Supreme Court monitoring committee now seems to be gearing up to seal all shopping complexes which are in “violation of sanctioned building plans”.
According to a notice issued by the monitoring committee on 27 April to municipal corporations, a copy of which is available with this newspaper, all shopping complexes which are in violation against the standard plan are to “sealed immediately”.
“The monitoring committee has decided that the ‘shops-cum-residence complex’ designated as local shopping centre falling under the jurisdiction of NDMC/SDMC/EDMC and New Delhi Municipal Council, which are in violation of the standard plan/sanctioned building plan, be sealed immediately and compliance report sent on daily basis to the monitoring committee,” the notice read.
“As regards availability of the police force, the deputy commissioners of the zones are requested to coordinate with the DCP of the area and arrange for police force in addition to the normal requisition being forward to the SHO/police station concerned,” it added.
The SC monitoring committee also directed field staff of the concerned zones and departments to ensure that “all documents are thoroughly checked before sealing to avoid unnecessary harassment of the general public.”
Addressing a press conference in this regard, Delhi AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said there were 143 local shopping complexes in Delhi which would be affected once the monitoring committee’s order was implemented.
Bharti, who represents Malviya Nagar constituency, said the AAP would approach to the SC monitoring committee on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and also meet the Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to discuss the issue.
“If there is no outcome after meeting them, then we (AAP) will seek an appointment with the Prime Minister. And even if he fails to settle the issue, then we will approach to the President of India,” Bharti said.
The latest order has come at a time when the action of the monitoring committee to seal shops in the city has already turned into a big political snowball.
AAP has constantly blamed the Centre for deliberately making traders of Delhi suffer. The party had appealed to the Centre to bring an ordinance to protect properties of traders from getting sealed.
The Delhi Assembly in its Budget session also passed a resolution demanding that the sealing drive be stopped and shops de-sealed.