The capital's civic body on Sunday clarified that the traders who had stopped commercial activities in illegal shops following the Supreme Court directive needed to file an affidavit if they wanted to avoid sealing of their premises.
After a three-day sealing drive under heavy police security cover, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said in a public notice: "The owners/occupiers who have stopped the misuse of their premises according to the Supreme Court directions are required to submit an affidavit to the zonal deputy commissioner of MCD to avoid sealing of their premises."
The traders and residents had complained that sealing was done on the basis of an affidavit given to the MCD earlier in which they had admitted that their premises were being used for commercial activities.
"We had stopped using three of our houses as health clinics but the MCD officials sealed our premises without even checking if some kind of commercial activity was going on or not," said Ankur Sanghi, a resident of Kilokri in south Delhi.
"They have sealed three houses and the officials had also forced my grandparents to vacate the premises. All my family members were inside the house when it was sealed and we were forced out," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"They have sealed three houses and the officials had also forced my grandparents to vacate the premises. All my family members were inside the house when it was sealed and we were forced out," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Similar was the reaction from Yogesh Baweja whose house in Kilokri was also sealed.
"I used to run an automobile workshop in my garage but I had stopped the activity after I received a notice from the civic authorities. Two days back, the officials sealed my house and now I am forced to live with my relatives till the time my house is de-sealed," said Baweja.
Baweja hoped that the MCD notice would bring respite to the people who have stopped commercial activities in their premises.
"They should have come out with this advertisement earlier and not a week after resuming the sealing drive," said Baweja, adding that he had also submitted an affidavit with the undertaking that his premises were no longer being used for commercial activities.
The MCD had sealed 353 commercial establishments in residential areas in the past week.