The Hindu : New Delhi News : GPA holders approach UN for full rights

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 11, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

GPA holders approach UN for full rights

Staff Reporter

“Delhi Government has been taking us for a ride, failed to respond to our genuine demands”

“Our human rights are being violated”
“Being treated as second class citizens”

NEW DELHI: On behalf of nearly 15 lakh people who have bought their houses on general power of attorney (GPA) and are living in cooperative group housing societies in the Capital, the GPA Holders’ Association has approached the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) under the United Nations demanding that their human rights now being violated by corrupt managements of these cooperative societies in league with the Delhi Government be restored.

Noting that these residents have written to the President, the UPA chairperson, the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi and the Chief Minister several times in the last two years on the issue, Association convener V.N. Bali charged that the Delhi Government had only been taking the residents for a ride and had “failed to respond to our genuine demands”.

Their main grouse is that while they are the owners of their properties, they still do not enjoy equal voting and managerial rights in their society managements.

‘Last resort’

“As a last resort we have approached the United Nations as our human rights are being violated,” Mr. Bali explained, adding that lakhs of GPA holders were being “treated as second class citizens despite the fact that they constitute more than 90 per cent of the residents in any cooperative society”.

Asked how the Delhi Government had “cheated” these resident, he said: “In the election year 2003, Section 94 of the DCS Act was introduced by the Delhi Government to wind up those cooperative plotted societies which have handed over their essential services to MCD, but till date the law has not been implemented by the Delhi Government under the influence of corrupt managements of these cooperative societies.”

‘Residents harassed’

Cooperative Era editor S. K. Chibber said: “Most of the societies are being run by the 10 per cent remaining original members. Most of the residents are harassed by them and treated like second class citizens. These managements charge between Rs.50,000 and Rs.1 lakh entry fee from the buyers of houses, plots and flats. This money is unaccounted for and illegal and the booty is enjoyed by corrupt Government officials and managements.”

Varinder Arora of the Kiran Vihar RWA said it was on being “miffed at the apathetic attitude of the Delhi Government that the GPA holders have approached the UN’s human rights office for their equal rights and getting the Section 94 implemented at the earliest”.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi

News Update

Stories in this Section