Sealing: Kejriwal visits markets; accuses Centre, L-G of not

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today interacted with traders during his visit to a number of markets in Delhi and alleged that the BJP government at the Centre or the Lt Governor, who can stop sealing by amending 'Master Plan 2021', are "refraining" from doing so.
Kejriwal visited markets in Chandni Chowk, Model Town, Sadar Bazar and other areas to interact with traders over the sealing issue and said that he would meet Lt Governor Anil Baijal tomorrow and raise the sealing issue with him.
"Someone told me today - Thro sealing, BJP wants to ruin Delhi's retail business to pave way for FDI in retail in Delhi." I hope this is not true (sic)," he tweeted.

Municipal corporations in Delhi have undertaken the sealing drive initiated by a Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee.
During his visit to the market places, Aam Aadmi Party volunteers circulated copies of Kejriwal's January 25 letter to the L-G, where the chief minister had suggested him four steps to give traders relief from sealing.
"Traders have been facing a lot of problems due to sealing. Who will create jobs in Delhi if trade is closed? There are shortcomings in the law and it is our responsibility to remove them," Kejriwal said.

The chief minister said that he had written to the L-G seeking four amendments in the Master Plan 2021.

"If the Centre or the L-G makes amendments, sealing will be stopped within 24 hours. I will also raise this issue in a meeting with the Lt Governor tomorrow," Kejriwal said.
In the letter to the L-G, the chief minister had urged him to either amend the 'Master Plan 2021' immediately or request the Central government to bring an ordinance to stay the sealing drive to provide immediate relief to the traders.
He had also demanded that Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for local shopping centres should be increased from 180 to 300.
"Conversion charges for local shopping centres should be brought down to that of notified commercial roads... Penalty on delayed payments of conversion charges should be waived," Kejriwal had said.

Commercial premises have been sealed for failing to deposit conversion charges according to provisions in Master Plan 2021.
"In several areas, the municipal corporations had reduced conversions charges from Rs 80,000 to 22,000. The civic bodies failed to utilise Rs 3,000 crore collected as conversion charges. There should be no conversion charge," Kejriwal said.
During Kejriwal's visit at Sadar Bazar in north Delhi, a few people showed black flags to him and raised slogans against the AAP.
The ruling AAP, the Congress and the BJP have been opposing the sealing drive in the city.
Last week, a group of traders under the banner of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) participated in a day-long bandh to protest the ongoing sealing drive.