DDA tried to 'sidetrack' MLAs

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 19.

The Delhi Development Authority's failure to hold a meeting for more than two months has led to strong resentment among its members who are alleging that ``attempts are being made to marginalise the elected representatives''.

``No meeting of the Authority has been held for the past two months. A number of important decisions are being taken without the DDA's permission which is in violation of its rules and regulations,'' rued the Congress(I) MLA, Mr. Mahabal Mishra.

Arguing that DDA meeting should normally be held at least once a month, Mr. Mishra said: ``Officials are trying to bypass us. We cannot be mute spectators to all the wrong that is being committed in DDA right now.'' Incidentally, the Delhi Lieutenant- Governor, Mr. Vijai Kapoor, is also the chairman of DDA.

He alleged that DDA meeting was deliberately not being held as officials feared that the elected members would raise a number of serious issues of corruption and malpractice going on in DDA. ``Not only crores of rupees of public money is being misutilised, but even smaller and basic things are in a mess,'' he charged.

They could not handle simple things like dispatch and receipt of letters, which results in inconvenience to the common man, and becomes a breeding ground for corruption. ``Due to this, the DDA is facing more than 3,000 court cases and over 10,000 grievances. No attempt has been made so far to tackle such an important issue like this,'' Mr. Mishra alleged.

The Congress(I) MLA asserted that DDA was fleecing the public and has been charging extra money from them. Several thousands of applications for conversion from leasehold to freehold are still pending even 23 months after the expiry of this special scheme. ``Those people whose applications are being disposed of now are forced to pay an additional money due to recent increase in the Stamp Duty. Why should people pay for the inordinate delay by DDA? It should be paid by DDA?'' he demanded.

Another DDA Member and the BJP MLA, Mr. Puran Chand Yogi, -- eagerly awaiting the Authority meeting initially scheduled to be held on August 13, but cancelled later -- is a disappointed man. ``I was planning to raise a number of important issues at

the meeting. There are certain important issues which need to be immediately taken up at Authority level. But it seems officials are afraid of facing the elected members,'' he observed.

Mr. Yogi alleged even simple procedures had been complicated by the DDA. ``There are number of rules and regulations, besides quite a few forms, which need to be immediately done away with. These only help breed corruption. The way officials are reluctant to remove these lacunas, shows that there is something fishy,'' he said.

Both Mr. Mishra and Mr. Yogi alleged they have received no reports on the several scams including ``watch-and-ward'' and ``medical bill'' scam, despite promises in this regard at the last meeting of the Authority. ``No action has been taken so far in this regard,'' they said.

Senior DDA officials, however, maintained that there was no deliberate postponement of Authority meeting. ``In fact, there are not enough items on agenda. There is no point in calling the Authority meeting just for the sake of it,'' the official defended.

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