L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena Among the main concerns raised by MLAs in their meeting with Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena is that of encroachment in their areas, sources said.
Since taking over, Saxena has met 51 MLAs in 20 days. Of these, sources said, 46 gave written submissions regarding their expectations and the help they required from the L-G.
“Out of these 46 submissions, 32 state that the main concerns in their areas are that of encroachment and unauthorised occupation. Be it vacant government land, roads, lanes, parks and even drains, the encroachment menace was flagged as the main challenge… They sought the L-G’s intervention to solve this,” an official said.
Over the past three months, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has held several anti-encroachment drives, even amid protests from residents.
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In May, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting with MLAs over the issue. After the meeting, he had said, “I told them (MLAs) even if we have to go to jail, don’t be scared. You need to stand by people. Running bulldozers like this is not right, Doing dadagiri, gundagardi is not okay. Abusing your power is not okay.”
Talking about the MLAs’ meetings with the L-G, the official said, “As many as 32 MLAs brought to the L-G’s notice in writing that ‘land mafia’ was encroaching Delhi Development Authority land, shops had come up on streets, and illegal construction by ‘unscrupulous persons’ was taking place. ‘Animal barns’ being run with the purpose of encroaching land… and unauthorised construction in heritage areas… The L-G assured them of action and sought cooperation… He said he hopes the MLAs will not indulge in partisan politics when steps to remove encroachments will be taken.”
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