NEW DELHI: Accusing the Delhi Government of failure to protect the interests of lakhs of villagers living in the rural "Lal Dora" areas of the Capital, Nationalist Congress Party MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Thursday demanded an apology from Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and compensation for those whose properties were recently demolished in the Lal Dora areas due to failure of the Government to present a correct picture before the High Court.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Bidhuri said the Chief Minister owed a public apology to the rural folks of the Capital who are now facing the threat of bulldozers. "Had the Delhi Government presented the true facts before the High Court, the situation would have been different," he said, adding that the authorities had failed to put forth before the court the ground realities pertaining to the issue of application of building by-laws in the Lal Dora areas of the Capital that had resulted in the present phase of uncertainty.

"It is due to the incompetence of the Delhi Government that villagers are facing the threat of bulldozers,'' he added.

Stating that there had been a consistent failure to take up the cause of the village folks, Mr. Bidhuri said that under the notification issued by the Union Government, building by-laws were not applicable in Lal Dora areas. The 1963 notification of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs clearly states that except for factories, cold storages, warehouses and slaughter-houses, no building bylaws would be applicable in any other category in the Lal Dora boundary.

"It is unfortunate that a correct picture of this 1963 notification has not been put before the High Court. The Standing Committee of the MCD has also passed a resolution in support of this notification has been in place since 1963 and has not been amended till date,'' he added.

Mr. Bidhuri said that if the 1963 notification was taken into consideration, then the present phase of demolitions in the Lal Dora areas were illegal and should be stopped immediately. ``It is unfortunate that bulldozers are now targeting the villagers who had given their land for development of various colonies and posh areas in the Capital. The Government had failed to fulfil the promise of giving employment to farmers whose land had been acquired at throwaway prices. It has also failed to waive off house tax in rural areas and till date not revised the Lal Dora. Now that they have built some premises and are earning their livelihood through rent income, what is the justification of running down their properties?" he asked.

Mr. Bidhuri said the Delhi Government should immediately file a petition in the Delhi High Court informing it of "true facts" including the 1963 notification so that lakhs of villagers get relief.

"Not only this, the Delhi Government should pay compensation to all those people whose premises have been demolished in the Lal Dora area and Ms. Dikshit should apologise for having provoked such a situation through her statements." ``Initially Ms. Dikshit had termed the demolitions as correct. But when her own house came under scrutiny, everything changed and she stated talking about an amnesty scheme and bringing an Ordinance to deal with the situation. She has woken up to the situation only after she herself got a notice,'' Mr. Bidhuri remarked.

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