Expedite process for implementation of DDA's land pooling policy: Delhi LG

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Wednesday asked officials to expedite the process required for implementation of DDA's land pooling policy and apprise him of the action taken within three days.

The lieutenant governor also asked officials to reconcile the 142 pending land acquisition awards with DDA within one month, an official statement said.

Saxena issued the directions during a meeting held to review the functioning of revenue department.

The statement said that the LG also gave instructions to dispose of the claims pending for payment of ex-gratia to families of Covid victims within 15 days.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary, principal secretary (revenue)-cum-divisional commissioner, all district magistrates and special CEO of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

According to the statement, the LG directed revenue department officials to ensure that the online processing of applications for land demarcation is made operational within a month.

It said that the instruction was issued in light of the cases of fraud and corruption in the registration, transfer and mutation of land.

"The department was asked to expedite seeking legal opinion on the SOP for implementation of land pooling policy and apprise the action taken within three days and reconcile the 142 pending land acquisition awards with DDA within one month," the statement issued by Raj Niwas -- LG's secretariat -- said.

He also instructed that the details of evacuee, enemy, gram sabha and acquired lands should be integrated in Delhi Online Registration Information System (DORIS) under 'prohibited properties' to prevent transaction of these properties.

It was also instructed that the legal validity of continuing consolidation proceedings in urbanized villages be examined and necessary action be taken in this regard, the statement said.

In this regard, the department was asked to ensure integration of DORIS and mutation software so that there is automatic updation of land records after registration of any transaction of land.

"The integration of the Appointment Management System with DORIS was instructed to be completed by August 15, 2022," it said.

The department was also asked to make a detailed presentation on revision of circle rates, along with the reports of the various working groups constituted for this purpose.

The statement said that the LG pointed towards the blanket order that had led to sealing thousands of borewells in the city irrespective of the water table beneath them.

"The department was instructed to examine the map of Delhi prepared by Central Ground Water Board to identify locations where water table is high, and accordingly frame such a policy. De-sealing of borewells at such sites accompanied by pit holes to recharge groundwater will help meet the city’s water requirements in an environmentally sustainable manner," the statement said.

The revenue department has also been instructed to create a template for monitoring progress of restoration and renovation of water bodies and the same will be monitored by respective DMs regularly.