New Delhi: Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev has directed officials to take strict action against landlords forcing migrant workers and students to pay rent. He said leniency must be shown amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Dev, in the order issued April 22, said all district magistrates will run awareness campaign in their respective areas. He advised ‘affected persons’ to lodge police complaints against such errant landlords.
The notification stated that the Delhi government had issued an order March 29. According to the order landlords have been asked not to demand rent for a period of one month from workers and students.
The March 29 order had also stated that if landlords cannot force labourers and students to vacate their premises. If they do so, they would be liable for action under the Disaster Management Act.
The chief secretary said instances of landlords forcing students for payment of rent or else threatening them of eviction have come up. Once the Delhi government became aware of the situation, it decided to issue a new order, threatening action.
“The district magistrates shall undertake awareness campaign on the issue. In areas having higher density of workers and students affected persons can lodge complaints to police control room by calling ‘100’…” Dev said in the order. He said deputy commissioners of police will forward weekly reports about such complaints.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested landlords to not ask for rent from any person who is not able to pay.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had also issued an order March 29 which stops landlords from demanding rent from students, workers and migrant labourers for a month. Those landlords who force people to vacate their houses will face action, the MHA statement has warned.
PTI