NEW DELHI: A special inquiry committee of the Delhi Assembly probing the ongoing sealing drive sought a list of properties sealed during the exercise which started in December last year, sources said. The committee had summoned the commissioners of three municipal corporations who appeared before it on Tuesday.
"They were asked to provide a list of properties sealed between December 23 to January 15," they said. The direction was given as it has come to light that some properties were sealed by civic bodies "without any specific direction" from the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee that is overseeing the drive, they said. The commissioners were also directed by the committee to devise a mechanism to stop alleged "blackmailing and extortion" in the name of sealing drive, sources said.
The commissioners told the committee that the relevant information regarding notification of 351 roads for commercial activity will be provided to the Urban Development Department of the Delhi government by Wednesday, they added. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday questioned a proposal by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to bring changes to the Master Plan of Delhi 2021 to protect traders from the ongoing sealing drive in the Capital, slammed the authority for refusing to learn from past tragedies, and labelled it the "Delhi Destruction Authority".
A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said the DDA was buckling under pressure to bring in the proposed changes, and not looking at the interests of a larger section of Delhi's residents. "You propose to bring in changes in the Master Plan, you want to destroy Delhi? DDA is becoming Delhi Destruction Authority," Justice Lokur said. "You have not learnt anything from the Uphaar fire tragedy, the recent Kamala Mills incident in Mumbai, or the Bawana fire. Everybody in Delhi has kept their eyes shut. You are just waiting for something to happen!" he added.