NEW DELHI: Taking serious note of the slum demolition in Shahdara on the day when his Cabinet had sworn in on Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered a ban on any demolition in the national capital.
The demolition ban is his first order after Kejriwal assumed office as the CM of Delhi. The order comes a day after a protest outside Kejriwal’s home against the demolition.
The government has ordered the New Delhi Municipal, three Municipals of Delhi, Forest, Delhi Jal Board, Environment and all government and land owning agencies to stop demolition of slums till further order. In case any demolition has already been planned or is in the pipeline, the agency concerned shall seek prior approval of the state Urban Development Minister. This order shall not apply to the action taken in pursuance of court orders.
A group of residents from a slum in Shahdara, which was demolished on Saturday, protested outside Kejriwal’s house in Kaushambi in Ghaziabad on Sunday demanding compensation. They alleged that they were not given any warning about the demolition. The Cabinet has decided to recommend that the inaugural session of the Delhi Assembly be convened on February 23-24 for the swearing-in of new MLAs and the election of the Speaker.
Kejriwal directed the Finance and Power Departments to immediately send their proposals for implementing the poll promises to slash the power tariff by 50 pc till the audit by the CAG of the private power companies is completed and also the provision of lifeline water (up to 20,000 litres per month).