Kumar Vikram
FRUSTRATED citizens take the law into their own hands. What do frustrated housing cooperative societies do? They organise a self- draw for vacant flats.
Hundreds of members of Dwarka’s Cooperative Group Housing Societies of ( CGHS) organised a self- draw on Sunday.
They said they had no option left after waiting four to five years for the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Delhi, to allot them flats.
The draw was held in the presence of CPI general secretary A. B. Bardhan, CPI Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh Syed Aziz Pasha, and Congress MP from West Delhi Mahabal Mishra. Members from more than 10 societies, including IDC, Baroda House, Janaksar, Shree New Anamika, Sapna Ghar, Crown, Appu Enclave and Satpari, took part in the draw.
More than 6,000 flats in 57 societies have been lying vacant for five years. Initially, court proceedings and Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) probes since 2005 had delayed the allotment. The Delhi High Court had ordered the CBI to probe how some societies got land in 2000 and later.
But investigations have been completed and several court orders have directed the allotment of flats since 2007. Residents claim the CBI has given a clean chit to 99.5 per cent of the members.
Bardhan said he had spoken to the government and the authorities earlier on the plight of the members, who are mostly senior citizens.
The veteran CPI leader had reportedly spoken to Congress president Sonia Gandhi last February.
He had communicated the prevailing “ corruption” in Registrar Co- operative Societies offices and alleged a collapse of its administrative machinery.
Thereafter, a series of discussions took place between Bardhan and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. But there was no relief for members.
“ Though several court orders have directed the allotment of flats in a time- bound manner, not a single one has been processed,” said Ashok Kumar, 69, a former executive director with SAIL and CGHS member. He said more societies would follow suit.
A. K. Bakshi, another member, said the draw was held following the bye- laws of the society.
“ The members have suffered huge monetary losses and mental stress due to the ordeal. While some have died, many are on the brink of financial disaster. So no other option was left to us,” he said. CPI leader A. B. Bardhan at the self- draw on Sunday.
Source: Mail Today
