New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) A majority of the ruling AAP and opposition BJP MLAs flagged rampant encroachment of public land and spaces during their meetings with Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena, who has sought their cooperation in freeing encroached government land and footpaths during a drive, sources at the LG’s office said on Thursday.
Saxena, who took oath as the LG last month, met the MLAs in small groups over several days earlier this month. Over 70 per cent of the MLAs, both from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demanded removal of encroachments and unauthorised occupants from their areas.
A total of 46 MLAs (out of 70) cited encroachments and unauthorised occupations in their constituencies as a matter of “major” concern, the sources said.
“The LG asked for their full cooperation in the encroachment removal drive that would also include a campaign to provide at least two metres of footpath, free from any encroachment, to the people of Delhi,” one of the sources said.
Most of the MLAs cited rampant encroachment, be it of vacant government land, roads, lanes, parks and even drains as the main challenge and sought the LG’s intervention in the matter, the sources said.
Some MLAs also cited how some land sharks are setting up animal barns to grab vacant plots of land and open spaces. Many others complained of illegal plotting of agricultural land for residential purposes and parks being encroached by “Bangladeshi” nationals staying illegally in different areas, the sources said.
The LG hoped that there will be no politics over the issue and the MLAs, irrespective of their party affiliation, will cooperate when concrete steps are taken to remove the encroachments. PTI VIT RC
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Source: The Print
