New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi ’s decision to allocate around 6,500 square metres of land near a Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) centre in Shahpur Jat to a private municipal solid waste contractor has triggered protests by locals.
The corporation, in an Aug 31 order, allocated the land parcel in Ward 172 to South Delhi MSW Solutions Pvt Ltd, an agency responsible for collection and transportation of municipal solid waste in South Zone.
Around 150 residents, including women and elderly people, are sitting on a dharna against the decision, according to members of Shahpur Jat Village Society. The stir intensified on Sept 2 when residents alleged that South Delhi MSW Solutions Pvt Ltd personnel reached the site with a JCB and labourers and attempted to enter the premises. In a representation submitted to authorities, residents alleged around 10 to 15 trees were uprooted and portions of the wall of Siri Fort were damaged. Bharatt Panwar, one of the elderly residents leading the protest, said they will continue their stir till MCD withdraws its Aug 31 order.
They have alleged the parcel belongs to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and questioned how MCD could allot the land to a private contractor without first establishing its ownership and obtaining clearances. The residents claimed the proposed facility could worsen congestion in the densely populated village, hindering access to ambulances and fire tenders.