Sealing drive: Delhi traders seek PM's intervention; BJP team

City traders today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his intervention in the ongoing sealing drive in the national capital.
In a separate development, a delegation of BJP leaders, led by Opposition leader in Assembly Vijender Gupta, met Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, seeking relief for traders from the sealing drive.
Municipal corporations in Delhi have undertaken the drive initiated on the orders of a Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee.
Commercial premises have been sealed for failing to deposit conversion charges, for changing the category of land usage, such as from residential to commercial, according to provisions in the city's Master Plan 2021.

A statement by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said today that the prime minister has been sent a communication by the traders who have urged him to bring a suitable ordinance for giving protection to the trading community from the sealing.
The traders body also suggested formation of a special task force headed by Delhi's LG for studying multiple issues related with sealing in a time-bound manner.

"The traders are being harassed and victimised on account of sealing under the guise of the order of Supreme Court by sidelining the fundamental provisions of The Municipal Corporation Act, 1957," the statement said.

It also charged the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, which is overseeing the sealing drive, of working in a "dictatorial manner".
"There are many areas and markets in Delhi that were declared commercial by the MCD, the DDA and other agencies and as such levy of conversion charge do not apply there. But the monitoring committee is insisting on payment of conversion charges under the threat of sealing," CAIT alleged.
A 'Delhi Bandh' was observed by the traders in the city yesterday, on a call given by the CAIT. The traders have also threatened to go on an indefinite stike over the issue.

BJP leader Gupta, who headed the party delegation to the LG, said they have been assured by Baijal of "early relief" to the traders.
The LG was requested by the BJP MLAs to make provisions under Master Plan-2021 which need relaxation to provide relief to the shop owners to save them from the sealing drive, Gupta said.
"The LG assured the BJP delegation that early relief will be provided to the traders," Gupta claimed.
He said during the meeting, he also stressed on an "urgent need" for waiver of penalty that is 10 times of the annual conversion charge. He also asked for relaxing applicability of development control norms of 'residential plots' to 'shops-cum-residential plots'.

The BJP delegation also urged the LG for early notification of 351 roads for commercial and mixed land uses, he said.
The MCD teams backed by police force have conducted the drive in Mayapuri, Khayala, Tilak Nagar, Uttam Nagar, Ranhola and other areas lying under the South Delhi Municipal Corporations. The drive was also conducted in north Delhi areas.