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Journalism of Courage
Days after the Aam Aadmi Party raised questions about the BJP’s “regularisation” of unauthorised colonies campaign and pointed out that the Delhi Development Authority’s FAQ section says these colonies are not being regularised, the section has been updated.
The section on unauthorised colonies earlier said “this is neither regularisation of unauthorised colonies nor the structures therein”. It now reads: “PM UDAY Scheme is for conferment of ownership rights to residents of 1,731 unauthorised colonies (UCs) in Delhi. The regularisation of UCs entails approval of layout plan of colonies which requires fire clearances of the colony from the department of Delhi Fire Services, Government of NCT of Delhi.”
On Tuesday, the AAP launched a fresh attack on the BJP over the issue. Quoting a tweet by Union Minister Hardeep Puri, which said changes have been made to the FAQ section to make things simpler, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said, “Would want to know in two words if the (PM) UDAY Yojana is to regularise unauthorised colonies or not.”
Sisodia, speaking at a press conference, reiterated that the Centre should make it clear if it really wants to regularise unauthorised colonies. “Earlier in the FAQs given on the DDA website, it was clearly written that the Bill introduced in Parliament was not meant for regularisation of unauthorised colonies or the structures therein. The newly-made 20-sentence explanation is not different in substance from the earlier statement. People won’t be happy with empty promises, meetings and hoardings. They should get the registry of ownership rights in hand. The misleading claims amount to deception of the people of Delhi,” he said.
Sisodia also asked how the BJP’s posters and hoardings on unauthorised colonies, featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claim the colonies have been regularised. He was referring to hoardings put up by the BJP across the 1,731 colonies, sporting a photo of the PM and a message that reads “1,731 unauthorised colonies, now the new authorised colonies”. The word “unauthorised” is crossed out.
Puri hit back saying changes in the FAQ section were made so that people understand the process better. He said ownership rights are being given and agencies would simultaneously be working on layout plans: “What Sisodia ji wants is that we should have allowed the project to be stuck for years, like they did. They could not upload maps in three years, we did it in three weeks.”
He said people would now get loans on their properties, which is the way ahead than mere regularising, and MCDs would also be able to invest their money. The South MCD has already allocated funds in its budget for development in these colonies, said Puri.
DDA vice-chairperson Tarun Kapoor did not respond to calls seeking his comment.
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