Ordinance to stall sealing drive cleared

The Centre approves an ordinance that stalls the court-ordered sealing drive in unauthorised colonies and villages in Delhi, reports Aruna P Sharma.

The Centre on Thursday approved an ordinance that stalls the court-ordered sealing drive in unauthorised colonies and villages in Delhi and provides legal cover to shops and buildings in unplanned areas.

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Lock broken The ordinance, does not allow sealing in unauthorised colonies, farmhouses, villages and jhuggis till December 2008 Fashion stores, restaurants in HauzKhas, ShapurJat, Mohammadpur and other south Delhi villages get a reprieve The government will now get time to frame regulatory guidelines for unauthorised colonies, village abadis, extensions

The ordinance, which will be notified in a day or so, does not allow sealing action in unauthorised colonies, farmhouses, villages, institutions on agricultural land and jhuggis till December 2008.

The Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Ordinance 2007, which was approved by the cabinet, will give the government time to frame regulatory guidelines for unauthorised colonies, village abadis and extensions, Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken said on Thursday.

Protection to commercial outlets in villages means that workshops, fashion stores, designer studios and restaurants in Hauz Khas, Shapur Jat, Mohammadpur and other south Delhi villages, which faced closure, get a reprieve. Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said the ordinance would bring relief to 48 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies.