B S Vohra in Action against the Loot of DISCOMs in Delhi

With thanks: Delhi Aajtak TV Channel

Plants distribution on the Shahidi purab of Guru Arjan Dev ji

Voters on Strike i.e. Surgical Strike i.e. NOTA - None of the above !

Don't you think that it's the Turn of the VOTERS now to go on the SURGICAL STRIKE? We the residents are fed up with the tussle between Delhi Govt & Hon'ble LG. All the RWAs of Delhi must come forward to raise the voice that even we too, we the RWAs, we the Residents, we the Voters can also go on the Strike and the meaning of our strike is - Surgical Strike, i.e. NOTA - None of the above. Only by using NOTA, we can teach a lesson to our leaders to SAVE OUR CITY.

RWAs - NGOs - Activists - Offer to Mediate to 'SAVE OUR CITY'

RWA’s - NGO’s - ACTIVIST’s

‘SAVE OUR CITY’ CAMPAIGN

OFFER TO MEDIATE

Hon’ble  LG Shri Anil Baijal Ji & Hon’ble CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal Ji,

We the Citizens of Delhi wish to place before you our Pain and Helplessness on witnessing the stalemate in Governance of Delhi. The Theater of the Absurd being played out at Raj Niwas and CM Residence reflects poorly on us Delhites.

As concerned and aware residents of the city and being selflessly involved in matters relating to Civic Governance, we the conglomerate of various RWAs, NGOs & Activists from all across Delhi NCR have a fair understanding of what the true picture and see beyond the Politics. While we do not doubt either of your intentions or your concern for the Capital City, someone has to intervene/mediate in whose presence you could place your respective grievances’.

Please do not take it as an affront, as to who ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ are to offer such mediation. We humbly submit that their lies as much Expertise, Experience, and Wisdom across the High Chair, that persons occupying the chair fail to notice. Collectively we come from all walks of life and have a wealth of knowledge and LOVE FOR OUR CITY to make such a seemingly outlandish offer.

News reports offer a bizarre specter in Delhi, may that be non cooperation of Bureaucracy; Haryana’s threat to first withdraw Court Cases before release of water to Delhi; upkeep of schools being ignored; Statehood of Delhi; Law & Order; Civic & Health Infrastructure etc and on top of it the prevailing emergency conditions due to Dust storm are issues that directly impact our daily lives and NOW WE REFUSE TO REMAIN, MUTE SPECTATORS,.

In your ‘One-up-man-ship,’ the common man bears the brunt of Civic Apathy. We request you to please allow us to intervene and bring ‘you two’ fine gentlemen to a negotiating table, we are sure in our unbiased and apolitical presence you will only place reasonable solutions for the benefit of all.

As concerned Citizens, we seek your indulgence to help ’SAVE OUR CITY’.

In Anticipation,

On behalf of ‘Save Our City’ Campaign
Joint Signatories

On behalf of ‘SAVE OUR CITY’ Campaign

Joint Signatories in alphabetical order:

Anil Sood, CHETNA (NGO)

Chetan Sharma, CONRWA

Pankaj Agarwal, Delhi RWA’s Joint Front

Rejimon, Dwarka Forum

B.S. Vohra, East Delhi RWAs Joint Front

Rajiv Kakria, GK-1 RWA

Anant Trivedi, Ishwar Nagar RWA

Gulshan Rai, Janakpuri RWA

Saurabh Gandhi, Gen. Secy. United Residents of Delhi-URD

Krishan Mitroo, Panchsheel Enclave
BB Tiwari, SJ Enclave

CC: President of India; Chief Justice Supreme Court of India; Prime Minister; Home Minister; Chief Justice, Delhi High Court.

DDA PUBLIC HEARING - DO YOU CALL IT A MASTER PLAN ?

"A Master Plan is the long-term perspective plan for guiding the sustainable planned development of the city. This document lays down the planning guidelines, policies, development code and space requirements for various socio-economic activities supporting the city population during the plan period. It's an organized set of decisions made by one person or a team of people about how to do something in the future.  It's a collection of all the smaller plans under a common cause so that system works systematically in future. 

But when we talk about our city, do you think there is any such master plan in existence? Traffic jam and congestion all over, open Dhalav and mountains of garbage at the landfill sites, encroachment and unauthorized construction almost everywhere, massive water logging during monsoon, potholes, and cave-ins as well the drinking water issues during summers, just reflect the genuineness of the so-called master plan of Delhi.

While there seems no suitable master plan in existence, don't know why the Government is hell-bent to announce certain modifications that will just create chaos as no one is talking about the infrastructure. No one talks about the levels of pollution that kill scores of people while deciding the modifications in the master plan of Delhi. Similarly, no voice heard that how to give a new lease of life to the river Yamuna. 

The entire exercise is being undertaken to regularise the FAR to get more and more money by way of penalties as well the regularisation charges. Is that the Master Plan of a city that is the most polluted and most congested in the world? 

Is that the Master Plan of Delhi or the Master Collection Plan, as so many clauses just talk about the regularisation of FAR at certain appropriate charges/levies. 

all the pics above used with thanks

DDA PUBLIC HEARING - DO YOU CALL IT A MASTER PLAN ?

DDA Modifications - Suggestions / Objections - to Save our City Delhi !

9th June 2018

Commissioner Cum Secretary,
Delhi Development Authority,
B Block, Vikas Sadan,
New Delhi - 110023

Subject: DDA Modifications - Suggestions / Objections - to Save our City Delhi !

Dear Sir,

Please refer your Advertisement dated 26th May 2018 seeking suggestions/objections to the proposed modifications in the Master Plan of Delhi 2018. In fact, we are more than shocked to find that your Advertisement for modifications of the MPD 2021, clearly shows that every thing will be regularised on the payment of certain levies :

5.6.2 clearly says that - The existing built-up commercial centres may be redeveloped if need be with enhanced FAR subject to payment of appropriate levies.

5.6.3a clearly says that - such excess FAR shall be permitted subject to payment of penalty charges amounting to 1.5 times of the applicable charges.

5.6.3b clearly says that - Payment of Use conversion charges from Residential to Commercial shall be applicable as prescribed.

5.6.3d clearly says that - additional FAR shall be permitted on payment of additional FAR charges as applicable.

5.6.4 clearly says that - upper floors can be converted to commercial use after paying the applicable charges.

5.6.5 about basements clearly says that - such excess FAR shall be subject to payment of appropriate charges.

Even though they can not provide any parking facility to most of the commuters, 5.6.7 says that One Time parking charges shall be paid either as down payment or in maximum four instalments.

While 15.9 (V) asks for the Penalty, 

15.12.3 (vii) is again subject to the payment of appropriate charges.

Under such circumstances, the Suggestions / Objections being filed by us, as the Joint Resolution of RWAs - NGOs - Activists, to Save Our City, won't have that much impact as the things look pre-decided as well absolutely biased towards urbanization of the City with a clear message that anything can be done on the payment of certain levies.

Strange & Shocking, there is no mention anywhere, that how you will control the Traffic Jam, Congestion, Pollution, Open Dhalavs, Open Landfill sites, Water Logging, Encroachment, etc., due to the excessive load on the infrastructure due to the excessive FAR all over in this city, which is already world's most polluted & most congested. As per WHO, over 30,000 persons are killed every year due to the impact of Pollution in Delhi NCR, but we could not find any modification in the MPD 2021.

The Lifeline of Delhi - The Yamuna river has no more Life in its Dirty Drain water. Clause 9.1, NATURAL RESOURCES of MPD 2021 itself says that, The Yamuna river and the drains are highly polluted; the capacity to treat wastewater is grossly deficient; The actual quantity of wastewater treated is much below the installed capacity; The planned reuse of treated wastewater is minuscule; A large number of the traditional water bodies in the form of ponds, etc. (excluding areas of unintended water logging along railway tracks, highways and canals etc.) have been encroached or have otherwise become defunct. The average annual rainfall in Delhi is 611 mm. However, recharge of groundwater gets limited due to decreased availability of permeable surfaces owing to urbanization, but we could not find any modification in the MPD 2021.

Under such circumstances, the last try to Save our City, lies only in the clause 5.6.10 that says, in case there is no parking facility available in the vicinity, the concerned local body may declare such areas as the pedestrian shopping streets/areas. Public transport authority shall ensure last mile connectivity to these areas.

As almost every locality of Delhi has a market, may be big or small, we are sure that you have done enough surveys for all the areas before issuing the notification for the modifications in the MPD 2021.

1. Therefore, please let us know the areas that have the parking facility suitable to the quantum of vehicles of that area so that we can approach the Local bodies to declare the rest of the areas as the pedestrian shopping streets/areas with immediate effect.

2. Moreover, by yet another modification, the term 'may' above (in 5.6.10), must be changed with the term 'must', to ensure relief to the residents/shoppers.

3. As mentioned above (in 5.6.10), the Public transport authority has to ensure last mile connectivity of these areas. Therefore, please let us know that how long it will take for the public transport authority to ensure the last mile connectivity for all those areas and your approval to the modifications to the MPD 2021 must wait till the last mile connectivity is achieved for all the areas.

4. May we request you to please ensure that all those areas of Delhi without a suitable parking facility are declared as the Pedestrian Shopping Streets / Areas, at the earliest possible. The main benefit of declaring such areas as the Pedestrian shopping streets/areas will be the reduction of congestion & reduction of pollution, that will save the most precious lives of all those who are on the verge of collapse due to various respiratory ailments, heart diseases, Cancer, Brain stroke, etc.

5. But we just could not understand and would like to know that why the Extraordinary Notification Number 149, published in the Gazette of Delhi, on Friday 15th September 2006 / Bhadra 24, 1928, declaring a huge lot of roads as the Pedestrian Shopping Streets, has not yet been implemented? 

6. We would like to know that who are the persons responsible for the non-implementation of this published notification in the last almost 12 years, and what were the reasons for the non-implementation of the notification, that was published in the Delhi Gazette on 15th September 2006?

7.  We would like to know the extent of damages occurred to the Environment of the city, due to non-implementation of the above-said notification, that was published in the Delhi Gazette on 15th September 2006?

8.  You have added in the Clause 15.7.1 that other services which are non-polluting, non-hazardous, and not prohibited by law in the residential area, shall be permitted, but we could not understand that why you have not imposed any check on the number of vehicles that is one of the main cause of Congestion & Pollution in the city?

9. Moreover, Under the Clause 5.6.7, you are asking for the One-time parking charges. But how can you claim such one-time parking charges, until & unless you have identified the Parking space under 5.6.8 as well as under 5.6.9? 

10. Does it mean that you want to collect the Parking charges, even without having any parking space, even without identifying any parking space, and even though that area is most likely to be declared as the Pedestrian shopping street/area under clause 5.6.10?

11. Please empower the RWAs for some constructive efforts. RWAs have enough brains but no miraculous powers to identify the parking space, where there is no space at all.

Looking forward to your reply as well an invite to the Public hearing, if any, though not expected, as the things look already pre-decided and pre-settled in the favour of Urbanization of the City.

And if that's true, please at least make an ESCROW fund with all the collections done for permitting all the Enhanced FARs, Basements & the collection of Used conversion charges, ensuring to be spent only on the maintaining of Parking (if any in that area), maintaining of the Roads as well as the Pedestrian shopping streets/areas and in providing the last mile connectivity, without any deviation of funds.

With best regards,

B S Vohra
9212004471
President,
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front - Federation
F-19/10, Krishna Nagar, Delhi - 110051
www.RWABhagidari.com
rwabhagidari@yahoo.in

MPD 2021: Is there any modification done in 2018 to save the river Yamuna, the lifeline of Delhi?

9.1 NATURAL RESOURCES

Natural Resource Conservation includes management of water (surface and ground), air and noise.

9.1.1 WATER (SURFACE AND GROUND)

a) The surface water resources in Delhi are basically comprised of the river Yamuna, drains and the lakes/ponds. The groundwater in Delhi occurs in confined and semi-confined conditions, with depths varying from 1 m to 10 m below the ground level and in the alluvial terrain, several sandy aquifers occur at different levels up to a depth of 70 m.

Based on studies and statistics, some of the striking features that are revealed about the surface water resources in Delhi are:

i. The Yamuna river and the drains are highly polluted;

ii. The supply of water for human use is too much in absolute terms, but is characterized by iniquitous distribution in per capita terms in different areas, and significant wastage;

iii. Assuming that 80 percent of the water is converted into wastewater, the capacity to treat wastewater is grossly deficient; Various options for the re-use of treated wastewater must be explored and implemented.

iv. The actual quantity of waste water treated is much below the installed capacity on account of missing links in sewer connectivity between the generation points and treatment plants and choking/silting of sewer lines, etc. The missing links in sewer connectivity must be covered for its continuity from the generation point to the treatment plant.

v. The planned reuse of treated wastewater is minuscule;

vi. The treated wastewater is being largely put back into the drains and gets polluted again before flowing into the river Yamuna, which receives 70 percent of its waste from the 22 kms. of its flow through urban Delhi which, in turn, constitutes only 2 percent of the total length of the river basin stretching from its point of origin till its merger into the Ganga at Allahabad;

vii. A large number of the traditional water bodies in the form of ponds, etc. (excluding areas of unintended water logging along railway tracks, highways and canals etc.) have been encroached or have otherwise become defunct.

viii. The standards for STP / CETP developed by Central Pollution Control Board / Delhi Pollution Control Committee should be adhered to.

ix. The public participation and education programmes must be encouraged so that the sensitivity of the water resource is understood by the consumers, students and RWAs.

b) Groundwater is one of the major sources for water supply in many parts of the country. In Delhi too, groundwater contributes a substantial quantity of water supply. Especially in new development areas, groundwater is largely being used as drinking water resources. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) assessed the total groundwater potential to be 292 million cubic meters (MCM) in 2003 as compared to 428.07 MCM in 1983, showing an overdraft and reduction of around 130 MCM over the past 20 years. Out of the 6 blocks into which Delhi is divided, significant over drawl / reduction has been observed in the Najafgarh and Mehrauli blocks. Rapid urbanization leading to the reduction in recharge of aquifers, increasing demand in the agriculture, industrial and domestic sectors, the stress put on groundwater resources in periods of drought/deficient rainfall, and unplanned withdrawal from the subsoil aquifers, have been mainly responsible for the decline in groundwater levels.

The average annual rainfall in Delhi is 611 mm. However, recharge of groundwater gets limited due to decreased availability of permeable surfaces owing to urbanization, and the runoff getting diverted into the sewers or stormwater drains that convey the water into the river Yamuna. The annual rainwater harvesting potential has been assessed at 900 billion liters or 2500 million liters per day. If even 25% of this could be harvested it would imply availability of 625 mld, which would be nearly equivalent to the presently estimated deficiency. This is in addition to the potential for roof water harvesting assessed at around 27 mld.

The existing drainage basins shall have to be made self-sustainable in water management by integrating water-sewerage-drainage systems. New projects and up gradation of present infrastructure should be taken up in addition to promotion of water conservation through an integrated and a community-driven model. Complimentary short-term and long-term strategies as mentioned above will need to be initiated.

c) Development of parks and green corridors along the Nallahs should incorporate conservation of groundwater and water bodies. To recharge the groundwater, conservation of water bodies and rainwater shall be essential. The area near Najafgarh Jheel and its surroundings and the Ridge can also be used as the potential water conservation area.

d) To increase sub-surface soil water through seepage of rainwater, porous paving tiles should be used in the pavements and soft parking areas. All the new bridges/flyovers must have the provision for rainwater harvesting.

Water bodies, having a minimum size of the surface area of 1 ha., shall be preserved by the concerned authorities. Further efforts shall be made at the local level to retain smaller water bodies.