Accusing the AAP dispensation of lying about scrap units facing sealing in Mayapuri, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri said on Monday that the Delhi government had not asked for land for an alternative scrap market nor was the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) considering such a proposal.
On directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on April 11, Delhi government agencies, including the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and area Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office, carried out sealing in the Mayapuri scrap market on April 13. With the sealing drive leading to violence, the AAP government hit out at the BJP, with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on April 14 saying the market could not be relocated as the DDA had not provided the government with land.
On Monday, however, Mr. Puri said the AAP government was trying to cause “deliberate confusion” by saying that it wanted to relocate the scrap dealers, but was not being able to due to lack of land.
“Mr. Sisodia said that DDA did not give land for the relocation of the market. This is a lie. DDA has no such proposal,” Mr. Puri said.
He added that he had checked with the DDA vice-chairperson, who had confirmed that the Delhi government had not submitted any such proposal in the past five years.
Mr. Puri said the Delhi government had failed to act on the NGT’s 2015 order against the illegally operating scrap units in Mayapuri and appeared to have acted in “panic” after the April 11 order to seal the illegal units.
Holding the DPCC responsible, Mr. Puri said: “Some of the units there have consent to operate and some do not. The DPCC should have checked which units have the permission and which do not. The DPCC should have made a proposal to relocate. But they did not think [after April 11 order] and just carried out the sealing.”
Mr. Puri said while the Masterplan of Delhi-2021 does not have a provision for a scrapyard, it does allow for service markets where scrap-related activities are allowed. He said the Delhi government had “abdicated its responsibility”.