The Vice Chairman
Delhi Development Authority
Vikas Sadan, New Delhi
Sub: Public Hearing for the Draft Master Plan 2021
Respected Sir,
On 27 October 2005, I had come to your office to seek an appointment with you as I came to know that on request of the former PM and the LG, you are meeting some NGOs (Sajha Manch) on Master Plan issues . I have already raised my concern over this to the Director (MPD 2021). However, I was informed by the staff of the office that I can not get an appointment. For any issue related to the MPD 2021, I have to meet either the Director or the Commissioner(Planning). However, your staff confirmed that the NGOs were having a private hearing for more than a three hours with you (Chairman of the Board)
On 3 October, in the first Public Hearing for the MPD 2021, validity of the Board was raised by Ms Gita Dewan Verma, Planner, who was reassured that constitution of the board and the hearing was as per the rules. After that I checked the rules and her objection appears not to be without basis.
This is very distressing for the following reasons:
In the first public hearing, much of the time was given to groups and organizations (ITPI, PhDCII) who were part of the making of the plan and rest of the public was asked to hurry up to keep the time. Professionals who responded through statutory processes were heard for not more than five minutes . The public hearing is to privilege individuals who are aggrieved rather than groups who have already made interventions during the making of the Plan.
While I was in your office one of the Assitant Director informed that the meeting is with Sajha Manch and Gita Dewan Verma thereby creating an impression as if both are one whereas it is well known by the DDA that this is not the case. This kind of misinformation clearly undermines the position of the professionals. Before the first public hearing, it was reported in the newspapers about the protest they would be orgainising on 6 October (while Sajha Manch was fully aware of the Public Hearing) but nothing was published about the Public Hearing (letter was sent to the DDA to intervene in the matter on 5 October 2005 to the Director(MPD 2021)). Before the second public hearing, same group has been given a private hearing which is likely to be reported thereby generating an impression of no public hearing by the DDA.
Considering that under rule 9 (Chapter III Proedure of preparation of the Master Plan) ["Enquiry and hearing - The secretary shall, after the expiry of the period allowed under these rules for making objections, representations and suggestions, fix a date or dates for hearing by the Board of any person, or local authority in connection with any objection, representation or suggestion made by such person or local authority or any person who may be allowed a personal hearing in connection with such representation, objection or suggestion to the draft master plan, a notice intimating the time, date and place of the hearing.Provided that the Board may disallow personal hearing to any person, if it is of the opinion that the objection or suggestion made by such person is inconsequential, trivial or irrelevant] only personal hearings are allowed whereas in the first public hearing everyone was permitted to listen without any formal application for the same. On the other hand Sajha Manch has been given a private hearing without giving me an opportunity to hear them.
In these circumstances following are requested:
Response on the issue of the Board Consitution in the First Public Hearing;
Rehearing of my objection by the Board for detail discussion;
Information about the schedule of public hearings, List of all the individuals and groups along with summary of their objections to be placed on the website and;
to give me a date for hearing by the Board my observations, in connection with objections filed by Sajha Manch, under rule 9 mentioned above.
Sincerely,
Poonam Prakash
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