New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday said that the sealing has been put on hold till September 25.
Traders will hold a symbolic demonstration at 1130 hrs (IST) at Kashmere Gate in Delhi. However, no major protest is to be held across the city till September 25.
In a desperate attempt to sort out the problem over sealing drive in the capital, the Government will file a second affidavit before the Supreme Court on Friday giving details of the Delhi Masterplan, 2001 and the amendments brought about by it in the document to provide relief to traders.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Shivraj Patil and attended by Lt Governor of Delhi B L Joshi and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Home Secretary V K Duggal and other top officials, including Union Urban Development Secretary Anil Baijal, MCD Commissioner A K Nigam and Additional Solicitor General G E Vahanvati also attended the meeting.
Asked how this affidavit will differ from the earlier one, the sources said, besides giving the details, this document is expected to focus on the effect of sealing on the livelihood of lakhs of traders in the national capital.
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Thursday met representatives of the Delhi Traders' Association to arrive at an agreement over the MCD's demolition drive in Delhi.
A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has been constituted to look into the sealing issue in the national capital.
The GoM comprises Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, Law Minister H R Bhardwaj, Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.
The GoM will meet on Thursday evening and Lt Governor B L Joshi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal and other senior officials will be present.
The civic body had said it would not carry out sealing of illegal commercial units in residential areas. However, the decision failed to appease the traders who are adamant to continue their protest.
"We will continue with the protest," Pravin Khandelwal of the Delhi Traders' Association said. He added,"We have put a five point agenda before the Government."
While demanding that the 1,400 unauthorised colonies be protected, Khandelwal added that if need be, the Constitution should be amended.
Khandelwal also demanded that some kind of an identification be given to the protesting traders so that anti-social elements are kept out of protest.
Four persons were killed, three of them in police firing, and scores of people including security personnel injured as the traders' bandh against MCD's sealing drive turned violent in many parts of the capital on Wednesday.
Khandelwal said that the Delhi Traders' Association has demanded a rehabilitation package for the affected traders.
(With PTI inputs)
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