Date:19/07/2006 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/19/stories/2006071917630400.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Delhi
Congress goes into a huddle on Delhi law
Sujay Mehdudia
Coordination panel meet convened on July 21 to draw strategy on
demolition issue in wake of apex court's ire
NEW DELHI: Sensing the mood of the Supreme Court and the growing sense
of anxiety among the Capital's citizens and political leadership over
the validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act 2006, the
ruling Congress here has convened a meeting of its Coordination
Committee on July 21 to discuss the issue threadbare and draw up a
strategy to deal with the situation.
"We will take stock of the situation in wake of the observations of
the Court and seek remedial measures. I have also taken up the matter
with Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and his junior
Minister Ajay Maken and asked them to come prepared for the
Coordination Committee meeting. I have already talked about the whole
issue with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and conveyed that the party
and the Government should be seen speaking and acting in cohesion,"
the Congress general secretary in charge of Delhi affairs, Ashok
Gehlot, told The Hindu on Tuesday.
It is understood that apart from discussing the issue of sealing and
demolitions in the Capital, the Coordination Committee -- which
includes representatives of the ruling party and the Government --
will also undertake a review of the power and water situation in the
Capital. It is understood that Congress president Sonia Gandhi has
also been apprised of the situation arising out of the stand taken by
the Supreme Court and that was the reason it was decided to put all
heads together and come out with a solution to the problem. While on
the one hand the Government, especially the Union Urban Development
Ministry, would be asked to prepare a legal document and put it before
the Supreme Court justifying the enactment of the new Act, on the
other there is a feeling that the preparation work for notifying the
new Master Plan for Delhi-2021 should be speeded up along with the
recommendations of the Tejinder Khanna Committee.
It is learnt that the party high command is not happy with the
handling of the water and power crises by the Delhi Government
resulting in people taking to the streets. The leadership is also
concerned over the strong protests by residents' welfare associations
against the privatisation of power and also over the deteriorating
power and water situation.
The party leadership is also worried over the growing impression among
the masses that the Delhi Government had become a mouthpiece of the
private power distribution companies rather than speaking out for the
lakhs of affected consumers. Mr. Gehlot said he had remarked at the
previous Coordination Committee meetings that the Delhi Government
should dispel this impression and rather be seen siding protecting the
interests of the consumers and taking up their cause with the private
power companies.
(c) Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/19/stories/2006071917630400.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Delhi
Congress goes into a huddle on Delhi law
Sujay Mehdudia
Coordination panel meet convened on July 21 to draw strategy on
demolition issue in wake of apex court's ire
NEW DELHI: Sensing the mood of the Supreme Court and the growing sense
of anxiety among the Capital's citizens and political leadership over
the validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act 2006, the
ruling Congress here has convened a meeting of its Coordination
Committee on July 21 to discuss the issue threadbare and draw up a
strategy to deal with the situation.
"We will take stock of the situation in wake of the observations of
the Court and seek remedial measures. I have also taken up the matter
with Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and his junior
Minister Ajay Maken and asked them to come prepared for the
Coordination Committee meeting. I have already talked about the whole
issue with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and conveyed that the party
and the Government should be seen speaking and acting in cohesion,"
the Congress general secretary in charge of Delhi affairs, Ashok
Gehlot, told The Hindu on Tuesday.
It is understood that apart from discussing the issue of sealing and
demolitions in the Capital, the Coordination Committee -- which
includes representatives of the ruling party and the Government --
will also undertake a review of the power and water situation in the
Capital. It is understood that Congress president Sonia Gandhi has
also been apprised of the situation arising out of the stand taken by
the Supreme Court and that was the reason it was decided to put all
heads together and come out with a solution to the problem. While on
the one hand the Government, especially the Union Urban Development
Ministry, would be asked to prepare a legal document and put it before
the Supreme Court justifying the enactment of the new Act, on the
other there is a feeling that the preparation work for notifying the
new Master Plan for Delhi-2021 should be speeded up along with the
recommendations of the Tejinder Khanna Committee.
It is learnt that the party high command is not happy with the
handling of the water and power crises by the Delhi Government
resulting in people taking to the streets. The leadership is also
concerned over the strong protests by residents' welfare associations
against the privatisation of power and also over the deteriorating
power and water situation.
The party leadership is also worried over the growing impression among
the masses that the Delhi Government had become a mouthpiece of the
private power distribution companies rather than speaking out for the
lakhs of affected consumers. Mr. Gehlot said he had remarked at the
previous Coordination Committee meetings that the Delhi Government
should dispel this impression and rather be seen siding protecting the
interests of the consumers and taking up their cause with the private
power companies.
(c) Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu