Wishing you a Green & Non Polluted Delhi : B S Vohra

#OddEveninDelhi

It will create problems for the residents for 15 days, but still, we must give it a thought, for the sake of our Children. Let's see if this exercise has any impact on the pollution in Delhi. 

Trifurcation of MCD led to its downfall claim residents

Sneha Agrawal

New Delhi, December 29, 2015 

The trifurcation, which was aimed at improving the efficiency of the civic body at micro level, today is drawing flak from the residents due to the failure in delivering results. The residents say that move was made to reap political advantage rather than administrative benefits.

Dividing the erstwhile corporation into three led to further downfall in the functioning of the civic body, say the residents' welfare associations. The trifurcation, which was aimed at improving the efficiency of the civic body at micro level, today is drawing flak from the residents due to the failure in delivering results. The residents say that move was made to reap political advantage rather than administrative benefits.

"The trifurcation complicated the functioning of the MCD. While there has been no change in the quality of the service on the ground, the administration has gone from bad to worse. The move had political benefits but from the view point of administration, it has failed miserably. After the staff was doubled up, there has not been any social audit on the fact that whether the decision to trifurcate proved to be constructive or not," said Rajiv Kakria, citizen activist from Greater Kailash- 1.

The RWAs from east Delhi said the idea of a unified MCD was much better than the present one. The cash-strapped east MCD has not been able to look after the civic requirements of the residents. "The trifurcation was politically driven and did not benefit general public. The roads, drains and sanitation are a major challenge in east Delhi. The condition continues to worsen. Whenever we approached councillors with our problem, we were sent back saying there were no funds to meet civic needs. Unification would narrow down problems," said BS Vohra from East Delhi RWAs Joint Front Federation.

Some others feel the decision to trifurcate the erstwhile civic agency has not met expectations.

"Trifurcation was done to make the MCD authorities approachable for the residents. There were speculations that the authorities were not channeling funds equally and focus was being laid on few areas. But today, the civic agencies are badly failing in their task. The salaries are not being disbursed in time, no concrete development work has taken place and there has been an increase in the expenditure on the establishment. However, comparing the two, a single MCD proved be a better option," said Saurabh Gandhi, general secretary of United Residents of Delhi.

with thanks : Mail Today : LINK : for detailed news report.

Odd Even : Nav Bharat Times

Truly, an ODD way to EVEN out Misgovernance of Decades !

Truly, an ODD way to EVEN out Misgovernance of Decades - Will be very difficult to implement - But do we have any other option ? 

We will support the decision of the Government, for this mega trial of Odd & Even, as we ourselves have observed the Carcinogen Benzen at 19 times, and the Killer PM 10 at 33 times in the city, in the last few days. Even the Poisonous Carbon Monoxide is on the higher side at many locations.

But the point is, that, how this scheme will be implemented ? Do they have the infrastructure to implement this scheme ? Do they have the Public Transport to cater Extra 20 Lakh persons daily, by grounding over 14 lakh cars ?

We are doubtful and even the Govt itself, is in doubt, over the success of the Odd & even scheme, while Delhi CM clearly & openly saying that if the new scheme is violated by the masses, it will be grounded. 

Don't you think that before ordering any such scheme, before enforcing a Rs 2,000 /- challan, the concerned authorities and the Town planners, must answer, some of the very basic issues, responsible for the massive traffic jam & severe pollution, in the city due to Misgovernance of Decades :

1. How the number of vehicles had risen from 41 Lakh to 88 Lakh in just 10 years time, without any check on pollution, without compatible road and parking network, while converting the city into a Gas chamber ?

2. Why the roads, that were to be widened almost 30 - 40 years ago, have not yet been widened, even though these roads are the main reason, for the massive Traffic Jam and severe Pollution in the city, with no such Road widening plans visible anywhere ?

3. Why there is no check on the encroachments that also cause massive traffic jams in almost every market / locality, again, causing severe air and noise pollution ?

4. Where is the Public transport system in the city ? To catch a jam packed metro, one has to run after dozens of Three Wheelers for bargaining a reasonable price, as they don't run on meters. To catch a Jam Packed DTC bus is not at all a soft option for many, that include Senior Citizens & Ladies.

5. Where is the Traffic Police to regulate the Traffic Flow. Most of them have to cater the VIP areas regularly and as a result, the Traffic Police department is unable to provide even a single cop for the inner areas. They can't even provide a Tow Away vehicle, for these locations.

It will be really difficult for the Government to implement any such scheme as there is no change in the basic infrastructure anywhere and it may cause havoc on the roads from the 1st of January.

Still, we will support the decision of the Government, for this mega trial of Odd & Even, as we ourselves have observed the Carcinogen Benzen at 19 times, and the Killer PM 10 at 33 times and in spite of the Misgovernance of Decades, we wish, if we could live in the pollution free environment of Delhi.

B S Vohra
Social Activist, 
President,
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front
www.RWABhagidari.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.in

HARD Decisions and not ODD Decisions will Control Pollution ....... going after SOFT TARGETS is Event Management not Pollution Management

Open Letter to Mr. Kejriwal and Ms. Sunita Narain,

Kudos to you for boldly taking on a seemingly impossible task, you have my support for the two week EVENT. I call it an event because it exempts all the major polluters and inconveniences the TAX PAYING VICTIMS of GOVERNMENT APATHY.

You are going after the least polluting lot and will be penalising them Rs. 2000/-, that too only those who get caught. The real polluters will nonchalantly continue their merry way. In my earlier communication “An ODD way to EVEN out Misgovernance of Decades ….. VICTIMS of Apathy being Inconvenienced” I had said that one needs to first look at the REAL Causes of Pollution, then find solutions.

People at CSE have shown blinkered vision, they too have gone after the Soft Targets. The real reason for pollution is the pathetic CIVIC Infrastructure, Governance, Indiscipline & Migration and not majority of vehicles as claimed. No city can plan for or endlessly accommodate unchecked influx of people ...... but who will call the spade a spade.

Ill Planned ideas, only make the public more Cynical, remember BRT, planners thought that by packing in all the car users into buses on a dedicated track, pollution could be curbed. THAT FAILED because they were addressing the Pollution issue through blinkered vision of vehicles cause pollution. Had they first tried to address the Civic Issues that plague the city, they would have achieved better results and not alienated the Tax Paying Class.

ODDLY, EVEN now little thought has been given to the decades of CIVIC DEGENERATION the city of Delhi has been inflicted. Going after SOFT TARGETS and not VOTE/NOTE BANKS may give electoral dividends, but little by way of QUALITY OF LIFE.

Instead of EVENT MANAGEMENT, why not prepare a three year Civic Road Map, with clear deadlines:-

A.      Put  the Public Transport Infrastructure in place

B.      Stop Fleecing by Auto/ Taxis. In Kolkatta all Taxis have ‘NO REFUSAL’ written and enforced

C.      Clear Roads of all encroachments, expedite court cases for road widening

D.     Make all Public and Private Buildings/Farms confirm to REALISTIC Parking ECS standards

E.      Do not allow purchase of car/bus (private or commercial) without proof of parking space

F.       Ban Parking on Roads. Mixed Land Use Policy has virtually made On Road Parking a norm.

G.     Improve Road engineering and positioning of Bus Stops

H.     Remove bottle necks on roads like potholes, religious places, trees, defunct poles etc.

I.        Enforce Lane Discipline and rethink British Era Speed Limits (used for extorting than to regulate)

J.        Create subways and pedestrian crossings and enforce discipline

K.      Regulate fast and slow moving vehicles, there are no rules for Gramin Seva, Rickshaws etc.

L.        Enforce Bharat IV norms on gensets also

M.   Introduce First Class Compartments on Metro and more A/C busses for comfort

N.     Improve last mile connectivity

O.     Only Hatch Back Cars for recognized VVIPs …. Living by example

P.      FINALLY …… call centre type shared Pickup and Drop for all Government Officials …… in earlier times there used to be a special bus service to ferry MPs to Parliament. (has CSE collected data of Number of Government Vehicles on Road????)

I strongly believe that without addressing the above issues all efforts to Curb Pollution will come to naught.

It’s easier to Ban, than to Reform or to Enforce rule of Law ….. THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN TAKING TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE REAL DIFFERENCE …… OR TO MANAGE AN EVENT ……… AND EARN GREEN NGOs CARBON POINTS ?????

I support any initiative that curbs pollution ……. I will grudgingly abide by what the Government decides ….. in the hope that I am wrong and have raised unnecessary doubts. IF ONLY ?????

Warm Regards,

Rajiv Kakria

Merry Christmas !

Facebook Is Asking You To Sign Up For 'Free Basics', Which Is Just Another Name For Internet.Org

However, what it doesn't tell you is that 'Free Basics' is the other name for Internet.Org. It is the same service that net neutrality activists have been fighting against for a year now.

Since its India launch this May, Internet.org had come in for criticism for being a “walled garden” for its limited number of partners and single service provider.

Several internet activists had signed a petition against Facebook's initiative saying that goes against net neutrality and that world's poorest people will only be able to access a limited set of insecure websites and services if Internet.org is implemented.

"We are deeply concerned that Internet.org has been misleadingly marketed as providing access to the full Internet, when in fact it only provides access to a limited number of Internet-connected services that are approved by Facebook and local ISPs. In its present conception, Internet.org thereby violates the principles of net neutrality, threatening freedom of expression, equality of opportunity, security, privacy and innovation," the activists had said in the petition.

Net neutrality activists have said that Facebook's Internet.Org or now 'Free Basics' is a threat to the open, free Internet we’re used to—one that doesn’t discriminate between highly capitalized success stories like Netflix and Google and scrappy new startups that hope to be the next Google or YouTube or Facebook.

Please view the Huffington post's LINK for more details.

निर्भया हम सच मे शर्मिंदा है !

सच मे आज हमारा सिर शर्म से झुक रहा है, हम अपने आप से भी आँखें मिला कर नही देख सकते क्योंकि वो दामिनी, वो निर्भया, आज भी हम सब से अपने कतल का इंसाफ़ माँग रही है. यक़ीनन, उसकी चीखें, उसकी सिसकियाँ, अब हमे रातो को सोने नही देंगी. ऐसा क्यों ? क्यों हम निर्भया को इंसाफ़ ना दे पाए ? क्यों हम मासूम बच्चियों पे होते हुए अत्याचार, रोक ना पाए ? अगर आज भी हमे शर्म ना आई तो फिर कब आएगी ?

December 16 - Nirbhaya - We can never forget you !

India News : Tinight at 9.30 PM

Rich people can't go round in SUVs polluting the environment : Must Read

The Supreme Court's decision came in response to a clutch of petitions including one on banning diesel vehicles in some cities in the face of alarming pollution levels in the country.

"Rich people can't go round in SUVs polluting the environment," the court had strongly remarked yesterday. It had also slammed car dealers arguing against a National Green Tribunal order banning registration of diesel cars, saying, "People's life is at stake and you are interested in selling cars."

Must read : NDTV : LINK : for detailed news report.

Supreme Court bans registration of new diesel SUVs, luxury cars in Delhi till March 31

NEW DELHI: In a landmark ruling aimed at curbing the alarming pollution level in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Wednesday banned the registration of all diesel SUVs and luxury cars with engine capacity of 2000 cc or more in the entire National Capital Region till March 31 next year.

The top court also ruled that all trucks not bound for Delhi will not be allowed to enter the capital through National Highways 1 and 8. Those carrying goods for Delhi will have to shell out a steep environment compensation charge (ECC) — Rs 2,600 for big trucks and Rs 1,400 for light commercial vehicles, which is double the ECC earlier specified by the court.

The Supreme Court has also asked all the private cabs operating in the city to convert to Compressed Natural Gas or CNG by March 1 next year. In a relief to the ordinary commuters, the court exempted small diesel cars from the ambit of its order.

The ruling came two weeks before the Delhi government's radical 15-day odd-even experiment to regulate the number of cars on city roads begins on January 1.

In the other measures, the court asked the Centre to provide proper masks to all traffic policemen in the city, saying they were the worst affected by its pollution.

With thanks : TOI : LINK : For detailed news report.

Beware! This can happen to any woman, or man, in Bengaluru in broad daylight

A woman was stalked, abused and threatened by a group of ‘kidnappers’ in broad daylight amidst heavy traffic in Bengaluru. This is her terrifying story

At around 2:00 pm on December 11, I was driving towards Marathahalli (in Bengaluru), under the KR Puram Bridge next to the railway station.

The traffic was very slow. While waiting there for the vehicles to move, I heard the driver of a red Maruti Swift car on my left shouting and making some obscene hand gestures.

I chose to ignore and moved ahead with the vehicles on to the flyover that connects to the Outer Ring Road.

While on the flyover, I saw the car tailing me. I still did not think much of it, thinking it could be heading in the same direction as I.

However, giving into my keep safe instincts, I decided to avoid being close to the car at the next signal.

Due to the heavy traffic, there was not much place to manoeuvred my car around and I ended up right in the middle of the road.  As soon as my car stopped at the signal, many men jumped out of the Swift, which was right behind me, and surrounded my car.

They started banging on the car; one guy was clicking my pictures while others hit the car, the car windows, the front windshield, rearview mirror, etc. They kept shouting and abusing in Kannada and demanded that I get out of the car. I just gestured them to move away.

I was surrounded by many vehicles with people in them and yet not one soul dared to question those men, on what they were doing and why they were harassing a lone woman.

Next, I saw two of the men bending down to deflate the front tyres. That's when I started screaming inside the car and asked them to get away. To stop them from acting on their threat, I started to move the vehicle. By this time the signal turned green and I could drive ahead.

I was scared. As soon as I crossed that signal, I called my friend who was the last-dialled number on my phone, to tell her what had happened.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK : MUST READ THE COMPLETE NEWS.

DJB Not Working !

Sir

In our street no 1 in front of house no 34 sewer is overflowing since last two months. Complaints are being registered regularly but regularly complaints are regularly reset without any action. Kindly approach the concerned authority.

Thanks

Om Prakash

RWA SECRETARY

ARYA NAGAR

DELHI 110092

Odd & Even issue !

I am ready to leave my car for all days and want to travel by Delhi Metro from residence in Rohini Sector 13 to Bhikaiji Cama Place, R K Puram, New Delhi. I am unable to get metro despite I can get metro from two lines Badli to Gurgaon and Rithala- Kashmiri Gate and then for Gurgaon, total 6 metro stations, 3 each on both lines touches my residence but in the absence of any Feeder or DTC bus to these 6 stations. These stations are Rohini east / west / pitampura on rithala-dilshad garden line and Badli, Rohini sec 18 and Haiderpur on Badli Gurgaon line. Haiderpur metro station is highly risky, first we have to cross the outer ring road and then walk on roadside against huge flow of traffic, even there is no U turn on outer ring road to come by own vehicle from residence to haiderpur.

yash pal

Odd & Even issue !

Dear Mr. Vohra,

I fully endorse the views expressed herein by Shri Rajiv Kakria and your appeal to all RWAs to share their views through your channel rendering a noble service to enable people (aam aadmi) at large to open up their shut mouth on all vital issues!

Once again I submit that the Govt. should concentrate on improving the 'public transport services' in a coordinated manner taking into confidence the Central Govt. (whose officers right from Directors and above who use official cars for all purposes), the various agencies of the State Govt., Northern Railway Delhi Division, DMRC and the State's Transport Dept. This will with the passage of time improve the present difficult situation and there are no 'fast first aid' to overcome the situation. 

It must be remembered that overnight we cannot, repeat not, improve the present piquant situation without self-discipline and honesty (which is at a premium in all circles) to the core!! Let's not try and encourage the private autos, taxies, buses (which are fit for city service only - not the then city's blue line service, which created a 'havoc' in the city in the past), which naturally create more chaos on the roads (but a rich vote bank for the political parties to encourage) adding to the present situation.  Let's not imitate or copy what is obtaining in China, Japan, Singapore or in western countries like Sweden etc. which are being quoted often, where self-discipline is upper most added to the 'dread' of local Police, who care little for VIPs etc. to punish)!! 

I strongly feel that once the 'public transport' i.e. the local bus, metro and railway services is improved by all means and check that all private vehicles carry 'valid pollution certificate', the present situation could improve a lot. Govt. should also think over the matter of pooling of cars by officials etc. to a particular destination, which will also reduce the congestion on the roads, to a great extent. You could see for yourselves that all the Govt. departments have no 'parking places' for their own cars, added to the cars of the lower ranked officials and visitors! This will prove the aforesaid point advocated! 

The big question to be answered in letter and spirit is - CAN WE? Of course all the affected officials will throw ample justification to the contrary, as they have been enjoying this 'unique privilege' for quite some time and still proliferating endlessly!! Self-restrictions thus imposed  will not only reduce the present congestion but also 'save' petrol for the Nation, which is of course becoming cheaper!

With regards,

TK Balu/Anand Vihar