The Hindu : National : Tejinder Khanna may head the committee on demolitions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 10, 2006

National

National

Tejinder Khanna may head the committee on demolitions

Staff Reporter

Panel to have five members including experts

NEW DELHI: Former Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna is likely to head the high-power committee that is being constituted by the Union Urban Development Ministry to look into the issue of violation of building by-laws, the current phase of demolitions and what best could be done to provide relief to the people of Delhi.

According to highly-placed sources, unlike what was announced in the past, the present committee is likely to have five members including experts and representatives from both the Congress and BJP. It is understood that Mr. Khanna's name has been finalised to head the committee in view of his past experience in administration and his efforts to make Delhi a better place during his tenure as Lieutenant-Governor.

It is learnt that Mr. Khanna, who was earlier also slated to be part of such a committee, had expressed his reservations to be part of such an exercise if the Delhi Government notified the committee. His stance was that the findings of the committee could be dumped and would have little validity and therefore it would be appropriate to let the Union Urban Development Ministry notify the committee.

It is also learnt that the Ministry has asked both the Congress and the BJP to forward one name each. Insiders informed that Delhi BJP has finalised its president Harsh Vardhan's candidature. The Congress is still engaged in consultations.

Apart from this, the Ministry is also in the process of finalising the names of experts who would be part of the committee that will be given three months time to study all such issues and prepare a report.

Sources informed that the Union Urban Development Minister, Jaipal Reddy had already held consultations with his Minister of State Ajay Maken on the constitution of the committee and its terms and reference. With his experience of administration in the Delhi Government and the knowledge of issues involving the present mess, Mr. Reddy is understood to have asked his junior to take full control of the situation and ensure that things work smoothly as far as Delhi was concerned.

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