Centre accused of backing land mafia

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 26. The Delhi Urban Development Minister, Dr.A.K. Walia, today charged the Centre with failure to protect the vacant land in Delhi from the clutches of the land mafia. He said the negative approach to the in situ regularisation of JJ clusters by the Centre was having an adverse impact leading to deteriorating conditions and environmental degradation.

Replying to a Short Duration discussion, initiated by Ms. Kiran Chaudhary (Cong), on in situ resettlement of JJ clusters, Dr. Walia said it was not possible to relocate all the six lakh JJ clusters in which 30 lakh people were living. For such a massive exercise, more than 7,500 acres was required which was not available in Delhi. So the best way out was in situ regularisation on which a decision should be taken by the Centre.

He said since 1990, 42,000 JJ clusters had been relocated and the entire exercise was progressing at a slow pace. Backing the demand by Ms. Kiran Chaudhary, the Minister said some projects were under way in different parts of the Capital but this needs to be taken up in right earnest. He said the cost had also gone up substantially in view of the land being available in the outskirts and no basic facilities being present there. Earlier, the cost for relocation of a single jhuggi was Rs. 44,000, but this had now gone up to Rs. 70,000.

Initiating the debate, Ms. Chaudhary said pilot projects had been started at Prayog Vihar in West Delhi, Ekta Vihar in South Delhi and Shanti Vihar at Madrasi Basti. However, the main hurdle was resistance from the land owning agencies who do not give NOC, due to apprehensions that once a NOC is given, they may not lease their land pockets. She said the only solution was to settle people in JJ clusters where they have been staying for years instead of trying to resettle them.

She said money is given to MCD every year by the Delhi Government for such programmes. ``I would like to know from Dr. Walia how much has been utilised towards this end by the MCD. How many families have been settled?'' She urged the Delhi Urban Development Minister to call upon all the land owning agencies, including DDA and Railways, to provide land for such programmes. ``I strongly believe that the regeneration of the urban poor cannot come from the top, it has start from down to the top with the involvement of the people. The role of the women living in these JJ clusters is important and they should be enrolled,'' she felt.

Ms. Chaudhary said the Slum and JJ Department has covered about 792 families at Shahbad Daulatpur, 4,800 quarter families are being covered in the first phase, which includes 114 families in Moti Bagh area in Shanti Vihar and about 700 families in Sector- VI of R.K. Puram and Ekta Vihar. Three projects were prepared with an outlay of Rs. 10 crores during the last decade but unfortunately, the land owning agencies do not agree and give the necessary NOC. Every year the allocated money lapses.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : Correspondence courses catching up
Next     : Silk hand painting to be revived