Traders will move SC next week
SEALING DRIVE Businessmen demand action against officials, urge Centre to bring an ordinance in Parliament
NEW DELHI : Affected by the ongoing sealing drive in the city, the traders’ associations have decided to move the Supreme Court next week.
The decision was taken during a rally organised under the banner of Confederation of All India Traders at Chandni Chowk on Thursday. It was attended by hundreds of traders associations from all over the city.
“The sealing action has been going on in an arbitrary manner, without hearing the traders’ point of view and depriving them of their democratic rights. We are running pillar to post but things are not moving. To get our voice heard, we have decided to move to the apex court next week,” said CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal.
“The alleged mess in Delhi has happened with the connivance of authorities then why only traders are being targeted. Why the monitoring committee is not recommending any action the officials?” said Khandelwal.
A group of 48 businessmen, including a few marble traders in Chhattarpur area, had filed petitions in the apex court against the monitoring committee’s actions on February 8.
“Through media reports, we have got to know that from April 2, the SC will hear the matter unauthorised construction and sealing on daily basis. We will consult lawyers and become a party to the matter in the court,” said Vijay Kumar, president of South Extension I Market Association.
Protesting traders demanded that both the Centre and state government either bring an ordinance or a bill in Parliament to stop sealing in Delhi.
The association leaders requested the Delhi government to desist from blame game and convene a one-day special session of the state assembly and pass a bill to stop sealing and forward it to the Centre.
“Even after making so much of hue and cry about the sealing issue, things are not at all moving. The amendments proposed for local markets in Delhi Master Plan 2021 are yet to be implemented by the DDA. The situation has left the traders in a dilemma about what to do next,” said Rajendra Sharda, chairman, Greater Kailash I Market Association.
The traders have also decided to meet Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Union urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri to convey their views on the issue.
They will also meet the seven MPs from Delhi in the Lok Sabha and three MPs in the Rajya Sabha from next week.