Mr BL Joshi, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi / DDA Chairman

Sub: WP 6980/2002 / Master Plan provisions for informal sector: request for directions

Dear Sir,

In the above-mentioned PIL (targeted against disposal of planned commercial space without regard to mandatory provisions for local area benefit) DDA’s counter-affidavit of January 2003 admits existence / non-implementation of statutory Master Plan solutions for informal sector and assures implementation in line with detailed proposals submitted to it in May 2001. However, no progress has been possible on this joint effort of citizens groups of entrepreneurs, customers, etc, on account of what can only be called adversarial dilatory tactics on part of DDA and MoUD. By contrast, in what can only be called manipulation of the judicial process, MCD has secured approval from Hon’ble Supreme Court for illegal NGO projects/ideas for what can only be called NGO takeover of informal sector, in a shocking manner proudly published by the NGO and included in the pleadings in our PIL as an annexure in additional affidavit of 2004, on which Hon’ble Court ordered in August 2004 DDA and MoUD to file counter-affidavits, which they have not filed. The matter of non-implementation of mandatory provisions for informal sector is also pending hearing / disposal by Parliamentary Standing Committee pursuant to notice of 22.06.2003 inviting views on DDA after the DDA scam and in s.11A Public Notices (since 2002, last for IT Park). The enclosed CVC reference of 10.09.2004 on our representations about informal sector provisions also awaits action by authorities.

In the context of the foregoing, we are dismayed by yesterday’s news reports about “proposal” for incorporating informal sector provisions in Master Plan 2021, mooted in Consultative Committee meeting by none other than our Hon’ble MP, Mr Sajjan Kumar. This is distressing for us not only because our former Hon’ble MP, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, was misled into similar misunderstanding (cleared only after a distasteful incident of his men beating us up), but also because it was after this Consultative Committee meeting that Hon’ble Minister announced finalization in a month of the draft Master Plan 2021, which, as per a news report today, is to be handed over to you in the Authority meeting on 10.01.2005, presumably for starting the process for mandatory 90-day Public Notice.

You would appreciate that this situation poses a sizeable question mark on both the drafting of Master Plan 2021 and seriousness about the Public Notice that will be issued for it. It does sadly appear that the dubious tactic of denial of existence of statutory solutions that NGOs with vested interests in sustaining problems are given to deploying is creeping into statutory processes to cover up implementation failures. This is completely contrary to the mandate of the people as acknowledged by the UPA government in the NCMP.

In view now of imminence of Public Notice for Delhi Master Plan 2021, we seek your intervention by way of directions to authorities for expediting replies in (and thereby disposal of) our PIL as well as for a-priori disposal of IT Park Public Notice.

Yours sincerely

On behalf of all petitioners in WP 6980/2002 and all who responded to IT Park Public Notice on MPISG platform

Gita Dewan Verma | MPISG Planner

cc: for information wrt CVC reference dt 10.09.04 no. 001/W&H(DDA)121/5957

• (CVC)
• (PMO)