GIVE DELHI FULL STATEHOOD - CONVERT LUTYENS INTO VATICAN CITY for the HIGH PRIESTS...... leave the rest for us LESSOR MORTALS.
Dear Friends,
You are all aware that the battle for Delhi Statehood is in the final stages in the Supreme Court. The Elected Govt. of Delhi has stated that barring Police, Land and Law all other decisions should be in the hands of the Elected Government of Delhi.
It was with great difficulty Delhi got its elected Vidhan Sabha. Those days there were just two MAIN Parties BJP and Congress and they both wanted full statehood for Delhi.
I think it was Narasimha Rao under whom the Law was passed and had cheekily inserted a Clause ensuring the Centre could have a toehold on the door if need be. In the old times of YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, I SCRATCH YOUR BACK type of politics the system worked barring a few hiccups.
NOW WITH a third party (AAP) and the DAYS OF VINDICTIVE POLITICS, the CHEEKY CLAUSE is being used to good effect ....... making LG the defacto Head and the Final Authority. Needless to say, Delhi has suffered as LG cannot be as accountable to Citizens as an Elected Govt. WHY HAVE AN ELECTED GOVT ???
TRAGEDY is that the very party which wanted Full Statehood for Delhi is now at the Centre and is opposing Full Statehood in the Supreme Court.
Both sides are placing all the Legal arguments and the difficulties in Administration before the Court. THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT DELHI FACES DUE TO LACK OF FULL STATEHOOD HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN TALKED ABOUT ......
LET ME TAKE THEM UP POINTWISE ......
1. LAND & DDA - Every citizen knows that DDA is the reason for 80% of the city's problems. The land being a central subject all the Unauthorized Colonies and Encroachment of Public Land under the custody of DDA led to unplanned Growth and Development.
2. MPD-2021 - DDA under Urban Development Ministry has been entrusted with the framing of the Bye-Laws and deciding the DWELLING DENSITY of the city. Today Delhi is bursting at the seams and the Pea Brained Idea of Mixed Land Use has destroyed the Social Fabric of peaceful Residential Areas that have become Security & Fire Hazards.
3. DDA Housing - today DDA is unable to sell Flats that it calls Homes because they are unlivable.
4. DDA Industrial & Commercial Areas - are devoid of infrastructure, industries do not wish to relocate (Bawana, Narela etc) and the commercial hubs (Nehru Place, Bhikaji Cama Place etc) are dark dingy decaying seedy joints.
5. DDA Land Parcels - if not already encroached are sold out for Malls & Multiplexes (Alaknanda Reliance Mall) while citizens are crying for Play Grounds for Children or recreation facility or other Public Utilities like Bus Depot etc.
6. POLICE- Rape Capital, Snatching, Car Thefts, Road Rage, Gang Wars ...... these are just a few things that form News Headlines ........ with 70% of the Force protecting the HIGH PRIESTS OF LUTYENS, there is little left to secure Delhi.
7. TRAFFIC POLICE - All it does is to devise ways to Extort ....... there is no such thing as Traffic Management. Without understanding the ground reality impractical speed limits are enforced and all they do is stand in few select places issuing challans and impounding Licenses or extracting heavy bribes. There are no solutions to the traffic snarls.
8. EDUCATION - Delhi University being a Central University students from all over India come making it impossible for students from Delhi to get admission. DDA also does not give Land to Schools and Colleges.
9. HEALTH- Fortis / Apollo / Max having obtained concessional land, are indulging in DEH VYAPAR (Dealing in Bodies). Elected Govt will be Accountable for handling Malpractices of Private institutions. Same with Private Schools.
10. METRO - when it comes to Lutyens Delhi, DMRC is very careful about Noise Pollution, Aesthetics, Security etc and goes Underground. When it comes to other areas it goes elevated without a concern for people living in the vicinity, citing Cost considerations.
11. MULTIPLICITY OF AUTHORITY - Since all laws have to be passed by Urban Development (or Destruction) Ministry ....... nothing changes in DELHI.
THE LIST IS ENDLESS, I HAVE FLAGGED JUST A FEW OF THE PROBLEMS DELHI FACES IN THE ABSENCE OF FULL STATEHOOD.
I have a suggestion ......... GIVE DELHI FULL STATEHOOD - CONVERT LUTYENS INTO VATICAN CITY for the HIGH PRIESTS...... leave the rest for us LESSOR MORTALS.
Let them have their own Special Police Force, they have enough Land and then some to spare, anyway, they have their own NDMC taking care of their Municipal Services and Power ........ with a minimum of tinkering to the Statehood Clause and adding a Clause for a VATICAN CITY OR SHOULD WE CALL THE NEW CITY...... VANDE MATRAM GRAM ........ Problem Solved. THEY WILL BE OUT OF OUR HAIR and us out of theirs ....... THINK !!!
Warm Regards,
Rajiv Kakria
Civic Activist
