NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday ordered Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to stop its demolition drive at Mehrauli and adjacent Ladha Sarai village till further instructions.”The decision was taken after a delegation of residents from the villages called upon Saxena at Raj Niwas to seek relief, citing anomalies in the demarcation of land in the areas that was carried out by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in 2021,” said a statement issued by the LG office.Saxena, who is also the DDA chairman, directed the body’s vice-chairman, DDA and the local administration to “immediately” stop the demolition drive and assured the residents that their grievances would be looked into and the anomalies pointed out by them examined.The LG also reassured the residents that no injustice will be done to any rightful owner of land. “He said the residents’ complaints will be thoroughly examined and if any misdeed on part of any official was found, strict action will be taken against erring officials,” the Raj Niwas statement added.The development triggered yet another war of words between BJP and AAP. BJP’s Delhi in-charge Baijayant Jay Panda said AAP had “backstabbed” the people of Mehrauli by “wrongly demarcating homes which had been officially registered for half a century”. BJP, on the other hand, stood by the residents and supported them, he said.AAP MLA Saurbah Bhardwaj countered, arguing, “What stops the LG from dismissing all officers of revenue and DDA who were involved in this demolition?” Party MLA Somnath Bharti said, “What has happened today is the victory of AAP and the people of Delhi. BJP has realised the LG is making it unpopular with every passing day.”
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/bulldozers-gone-as-lg-vk-saxena-tells-dda-to-suspend-mehrauli-drive/articleshow/97929962.cms
