New Delhi: The Delhi Government has decided
to cancel provisional regularisation certificates of 73
unauthorised colonies that were issued ahead of the 2008
Assembly elections.
The action comes after an internal inquiry conducted by
Urban Development department found "gross violation" of
prescribed norms in issuance of provisional regularisation
certificates (PRCs) to the colonies.
"We have decided to cancel PRCs of 73 colonies," top
government sources said.
The Delhi government had issued provisional
regularisation certificates to 1,639 unauthorised colonies
ahead of the assembly polls in 2008 which have been home to
around 40 lakh people and constitute important votebank.
Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna and Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit had ordered inquiry into the matter last month
following allegations that some "non existent" as well as
"ineligible" colonies were given PRCs flouting norms.
The BJP has termed the irregularities as "biggest land
scam" in the city and even wrote a letter to Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram demanding a high-level probe.
According to a complaint filed before the Lokayukta
Justice Manmohan Sarin, provisional regularisation
certificates were issued by the Delhi government to certain
non-existent colonies which do not meet prescribed norms.
The Lokayukta had issued notices to Delhi government last
month seeking a detailed report on the issue.
Delhi government has now identified around 125 colonies
which did not meet all prescribed qualifications for getting
PRCs.
With opposition BJP stepping up its attack on the
government on the issue, Dikshit had earlier this month
divested senior Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan of the Urban
Development department which is the nodal agency for
regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The department has
been given to A K Walia.
Chauhan was the urban development minister when PRCs were
distributed in 2008, but after the polls Walia was given the
department. However, Walia was divested of the department in a
reshuffle in February.
Officials said government would regularise only those
colonies which have got clearances from all agencies and
departments concerned while those which do not meet the
qualifications would not be considered for regularisation.
They said Survey of India has been asked to provide
details of 1080 unauthorised colonies which were given PRCs in
2008.
The government aims to regularise some of the colonies
ahead of municipal polls in April next year as the Dikshit
government in 2008, while distributing the PRCs had promised
to regularise the colonies if Congress came to power for the
third term. However, not a single colony has been regularised
so far.
PTI
