New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS): Thousands of residents from 360 villages across rural Delhi will convene at Jantar Mantar on Sunday for a Mahapanchayat to address pressing issues affecting their communities.
Chaudhary Surendra Solanki, the head of the Sakal Panchayat Palam-360 Khap, has organised the Mahapanchayat to highlight long-standing concerns such as inadequate infrastructure and persistent problems with the drainage and sewage systems.
Solanki stated that he has been engaging regularly with villagers and farmers to raise awareness and gather support for these issues, though previous efforts to resolve them through government authorities have yielded precious little.
“This time, the rural communities of Delhi have resolved to fight until their grievances, many of which have been unresolved for years,” said Solanki.
Villagers view these unresolved issues as critical to their survival. Among the key demands of the Mahapanchayat is the reinstatement of the land mutation process, which has been halted. Additionally, they are calling for the granting of ownership rights to farmers allocated land under Section 74/4, and for the allocation of alternative plots to those whose land has been acquired, in accordance with government schemes.
Other demands include the right for villagers to inherit ancestral property without paying stamp duty, as outlined in the government's ownership scheme. The Mahapanchayat will also push for revisions to the land pooling policy under the 2041 Master Plan and advocate for the development of rural areas into "smart villages."
Further demands include the repeal of Sections 81 and 33, with a call for the withdrawal of cases filed under Section 81. Villagers are also seeking a halt to the ongoing sealing and demolition drives, cessation of interference by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in village affairs, and an end to what they describe as highhanded practices by the power company.
The villagers are also demanding the installation of electricity meters, the reinstatement of previously removed home guards, and that these home guards be provided with necessary benefits and facilities until the age of 60.