The Delhi Assembly on Tuesday decided to probe the collection and use of conversion charges by the municipal corporations, after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs accused the BJP-ruled civic bodies of extorting money from traders under the pretext of collecting these charges.
During a discussion on the ongoing sealing of commercial units by the municipal corporations, AAP MLAs demanded that the officers of the civic body be asked to come to the Assembly to answer their questions.
Considering the sentiments of the MLAs, said Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, the matter of the “collection and utilisation of conversion charges and all other related issues for examination” to the House Committee on Municipal Corporations of Delhi, which is chaired by Palam MLA Bhavna Gaur.
Submit report
Mr. Goel said the committee would submit its report by the first day of the next session of the House. Later, AAP government spokesperson Nagendar Sharma said in a tweet that the first meeting of the committee would be on Thursday.
Reiterating the AAP MLAs’ attacks on the BJP, Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain told the House, “The party that was always supported by the traders is now after the traders. First, demonetisation, then GST, then FDI in retail and now sealing”.
BJP hits back
The BJP MLAs, for their part, hit back at the AAP government over the delay in notifying 351 roads as commercial or mixed land use — something which is needed to prevent them from sealing in the future.
“We should rise above politics to resolve the issue. Not one MLA has said anything about the Monitoring Committee of the Supreme Court [under whose directions the sealing is happening] We want to ask the government about the 351 roads. A list was sent to the government by the MCD in 2007,” said Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta.
Labour and Development Minister Gopal Rai replied that the ongoing sealing drives were not occurring at the 351 roads.
Waiting for details
He said the notification should be done and that the government would do it as soon as the municipal corporations sent the complete details about the establishments on these roads.
Earlier in the discussion, AAP MLA from Tilak Nagar, Jarnail Singh cited data from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation while alleging inaction against illegal construction.
“A total of 4,684 buildings were booked by the SDMC in one year. Of these, they sealed 505 and demolished 2,100. What happened to the rest? We were unable to get an answer from them,” he said.
