New Delhi: A bill to insulate slums and unauthorised colonies in Delhi and national capital region from punitive action till the time an alternative framework is put in place, was passed in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, even as Congress MPs stood in the Well of the House seeking removal of Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde for his controversial comments on secularism and the Constitution.
The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill gives immunity to slums and some unauthorised constructions till December 31, 2020. The immunity under the existing Bill ends on December 31, 2017.
Urban development minister Hardeep Singh Puri said if the bill is not passed, it will lead to “unprecedented chaos” in the national capital.
The legislation will give cover against punitive action on “as is where is basis” until December 2020, he said.
Even as Congress MPs continued raising slogans against Mr Hegde, holding placards and crowding the well, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan stood firm saying that as the legislation is significant for Delhi and its deadline is till December 31, it needs to be passed and will be passed.
Mr Puri while replying to a short discussion on the bill, also attacked the Sheila Dikshit government for not coming out with a proper policy on the matter and said “it was the failure of governance of a very high order”.
The legislation provides that no action will be taken by any local authority till December 31, 2017 with respect to encroachments or unauthorised developments as of January 1, 2006, unauthorised colonies, village abadi areas that existed on March 31, 2002 and where constructions took place till February 8, 2007.
The sealing exercise by the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee had created panic among the slum-dwellers and traders in part of the city, with the legislation expected to allay their apprehensions to a large extent.
Participating in the debate on the bill, BJP MP Parvesh Varma attacked the AAP government in Delhi, accusing it of not coming out with a policy on unauthorised colonies or slums.
Trinamul Congress MP Saugata Roy was to speak on the Bill but did not. He said it has become a practise to pass the Bill in the din, referring to the uproar by Congress members over controversial remarks made by Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde.
