Sibal comes to rescue of traders on MCD matters

New Delhi, August 28, 2013: In a meeting convened by Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal , the senior officials of all three Municipal Corporations assured to resolve various issues pertaining to trading community.

On an initiative of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), Sibal convened a meeting yesterday at his Shastri Bhawan office at New Delhi whivh was attended by all three MCD Commissioners, Chief Legal Officers, Chief Engineers, Chief Town Planner and other senior MCD officials. The meeting discussed various legal and other issues confronted by traders of Delhi.

The traders delegation led by CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal was joined by  Delhi including CAIT Delhi State President Ramesh Khanna, Delhi General Secretary Vijay Pal and other senior leaders including Sushil Goel, Dev Raj Baweja, Shanker Lal Aggarwal, Satender Jain, Ram Lal, Satender Wadhwa, Vijay Gupta and Mukesh Gupta.

While raising the issue of transferring of sealing and demolition cases to Appelatte Tribunal by Supreme Court recently, the CAIT said that about 700 IAs have been transferred and the Supreme Court has directed to dispose of the IAs at the earliest within a period of one year whereas there is only one Appellate Tribunal and IAs of such a magnitude cannot be disposed of in a years time. The CAIT urged for appointment of more tribunals. Sibal while agreeing with the contention assured that he will take necessary steps in this direction.

On a query on difficulties being faced by the traders in obtaining Trade Licesnses from MCD, the MCD officials informed that they have completely revised the policy and a new simplified policy will be announced very shortly. The CAIT said that traders of Delhi are running from pillar to post even for a small clarification or for other matters and such the MCD should appoint specific officer to deal with issues of traders. All three MCD Commissioners present in the meeting nominated Shamsher Singh, Chief Town Planner as Nodal Officer for the purpose.

The MCD Officials also assured to look into issues of parking and conversion charges raised by the CAIT and with regard to development of further parking lots in Delhi sought cooperation of the traders in identifying suitable land for construction of parking lots in their respective areas.

Sibal directed the MCD officials to take issues of traders on priority basis and stressed that under no circumstances the provisions contained in the Master Plan 2021 or other provisions stipulated in The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011 should be violated by MCD. The Act provides an embargo of any kind of punitive action in Delhi till 31st December, 2014.