New Delhi: Civic authorities on Thursday continued their drive to seal businesses operating from residential areas, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he would try and find a permanent solution to the problem.
The main Opposition BJP and the Congress Government in Delhi urged Manmohan Singh to find a permanent solution to the problems faced by traders due to the ongoing drive.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and BJP leader L K Advani separately met the Prime Minister at his official residence accompanied by delegations of party members.
"We have urged the Prime Minister to change the municipal laws to resolve this issue," Advani said.
"Manmohan Singh has assured us that he would consider our suggestion," BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley said.
On the other hand, Dikshit, criticised heavily by the trading community and affected citizens for her inability to stop the sealing drive that is depriving tens of thousands of their livelihood, demanded sweeping powers for the state government.
"The Prime Minister said he will try his best to solve the problem," she said.
Dikshit also demanded that the Delhi Master Plan 2021 that is being drafted and which is likely to give a reprieve to affected traders by making allowances for business activities in residential areas, be tabled in parliament at the earliest.
"The Congress legislators also demanded that both MCD and DDA should be brought under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government, which is not so at present. We also demanded a complete statehood for Delhi," Delhi Congress Chief Ram Babu Sharma said.
Sharma, who was a part of the delegation, said Manmohan Singh assured them that he will try his best to give relief to traders. "The Centre would take the help of both the judiciary and the legislature to give relief to traders," Sharma said, quoting the prime minister.
Meanwhile, 33 illegal commercial establishments in the south, central and west Delhi were sealed amid some protests. The police said two persons were detained for obstructing the drive.
Of the sealed units, 10 were at Ring Road in Lajpat Nagar-IV, Nehru Nagar and Ashram falling in central zone. In the South Zone, 18 units in Gautam Nagar and Gujjar Dairy were sealed. Five units in Raja Garden and Rajouri Garden in the west zone were also sealed.
So far 833 commercials units have been sealed since Nov 8, the day civic authorities started the sealing drive. The sealed units include several guest houses, restaurants, play schools and even some government offices.
They were found to be violating Delhi's Master Plan that segregates residential and commercial areas.
Meanwhile, traders continued their relay hunger strike near Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, for the second day.
"Our strike will continue till November 22, the day Parliament's Winter Session begins. Traders from south Delhi are taking part today," said Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders, Praveen Khandelwal, which is leading the protest campaign.
Khandelwal said the apex court may provide a reprieve till January 31, 2007 but in the absence of a proper Master Plan, the sealing operation may resume from February.
"We need a proper law that will regularise all shops operating before Dec 31, 2005. We will impress upon Dikshit to convey our request to the Prime Minister," he added.
On Wednesday, 25,000 traders got a temporary reprieve from the apex court. In its directive, the court asked these traders to file fresh affidavits by Nov 19 promising that they will stop commercial activities in residential areas.
According to MCD officials 144 traders filed their affidavits Thursday.
Till November 19, the drive will target those establishments that have not filed such affidavits and are not covered under the September 7 and 15 notifications of the central government.
These notifications allow liberal use of residential areas for commercial purposes on nearly 2,200 roads across the Capital.
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