SC stays amendment in Delhi Master Plan 2021, says dadagiri has to stop
BY Sayantan Ghosh6 March 2018 11:57 PM IST
Sayantan Ghosh6 March 2018 11:57 PM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed any "further progress" in amending the Delhi Master Plan 2021 to protect unauthorised construction from the ongoing sealing drive in the national capital, sternly observing that this 'dadagiri' (bullying tactics) must stop.
The apex court took strong exception to the non-filing of affidavits by the Delhi government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and municipal corporation of Delhi (MCDs) on whether an environment impact assessment was conducted before proposing amendments to the city's Master Plan despite the court's February 9 direction.
A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta observed that the authorities were "not bothered" and were not filing affidavits despite the court's order, which was "nothing short of contempt".
"This is contempt, nothing short of contempt. This 'dadagiri' (bullying behaviour) has to stop," the bench said, adding, "You appear before the Supreme Court of this country, and you are saying as if you can do anything and you do not have to file a reply".
The Master Plan-2021 is a blueprint for urban planning and expansion in the metropolis to ensure overall development and the proposed amendments are aimed at bringing a uniform floor area ratio (FAR) for shop-cum-residential plots and complexes on par with residential plots. FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area (gross floor area) to the size of the piece of land on which it is built.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the top court also discharged BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma and municipal councillor Gunjan Gupta, against whom it had earlier issued show cause notices for contempt for allegedly obstructing the authorities from carrying out the sealing drive.
The bench said it has gone through the CD containing video footage of the protest and it appeared that Sharma and Gupta were not obstructing the authorities but only discussing the matter to convince them that sealing should not be done.
However, the bench took umbrage to the derogatory language being used in the video footage and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being insulted by the protestors.
During the hearing, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the sealing matter, referred to the February 9 order and said the court had framed nine issues and asked the authorities to file their affidavits, but nobody has filed it yet.
"They (authorities) are not bothered. Why should they bother? People of Delhi can die," the bench said, adding, "We will stay the amendment in the Master Plan of Delhi. We will say no need for an amendment".
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