Dear Mr. Vohra ji,
Your piece is thought provoking but at the same time shocking! Don't you think that we always plan (unknowingly) for disaster now and in future too! There is no long term plan, except on paper, not in practice and implementation and wise-people's advice, like you, is not taken for consideration! The bureaucrats and the politicians in power always think that they are wiser than aam aadmi and they give a rosy picture, which is given wide publicity at the cost of people and then forgotten for lack of resources, will power and man power, which are their normal excuses for non-implementation!! This is the usual drill which goes on and on and forever and any new incomer announces a 'grand plan' in public which fades away in thin air with the passage of time and people also forget, as the latter's memory is always short!! I have seen all this and more during my life time in Delhi over 5 decades and will continue to remain the same unaltered making people continue to suffer and suffocate with pollution, water and electricity problems, added civic menace throughout the year!! I strongly and firmly of the opinion that if they (administrators, including politicians at the helm of affairs) wish to do something good for the people they could do it unhampered but 'chalta hai' attitude creeps in and the their subordinates do not carry out their wishes, as there is no punishment that could be inflicted upon them, as otherwise, they will threaten to go on strike, which is their biggest tool in their hand, encouraged by outsiders who are also politicians to enjoy the menace and criticise the administration and politicians in power through so media who is always ready to give wide publicity through the visual media unendingly and repeatedly ad nauseum!!! They pay scant attention to Court's orders as the miscreants have always a higher court to appeal and drag the cases for decades, which we have seen in day to day life.
Of course, some times the Courts also without realising the ground reality give orders which go against the wishes and aspirations of larger number of people, but a very few get the benefit out of them! I can quote with authority at my command that recently the Delhi High Court had given orders, as I understand, to remove all 'speed breakers' which had been provided on the inner roads etc. by the Societies at enormous cost to safeguard the people residing in the colonies, where serious accidents had happened due to their absence, but at one stroke of the High Court's order on a PIL by some one (individual)'s petition to remove all the speed breakers installed, which were all done with the tacit approval and knowledge of the Police authorities but removed by the EDMC, without any fore-warning and realising any consequences which would occur dut to their absence! The authorities in power do damage quickly but don't do anything for the safety and security of aam aadmi who are facing the problem on a day to day basis! This is the highhandedness of the authorities concerned for all to see!
Yet an another example, I quote, again with all powers in my command, that we had built a huge overhead water tank in concrete a few decades back when the Colony came into existence at the behest of the authorities concerned to supply water to Anand Vihar and its neighbouring colonies as well but became disused with the flow of Ganga water in East Delhi and still remains as such with cracks which have developed endangering the life and property of neighbours at any point of time, as and when it collapses on fine morning/night time! This huge over head water tank remains unused for the last over four decades and it may crack further and fall anytime! This has been brought to the notice of the authorities (DJB) concerned several times and even cautioning them that if any calamity takes place they would be held wholly and solely responsible for any catastrophe but they are still in slumber but once the unfortunate thing happens, all will rush in and throw blame on each other at a huge cost to the residents over here!!
Still an outstanding example, I wish to quote herein. The EDMC are reported to be short of funds. If so why they have not yet decided about the levy of property tax so far! They could have by now collected a huge amount from all owners and reaped the interest too on the amount collected but alas, this is yet to be decided!
The EDMC have taken no action so far to desilt the storm water drains which are overflowing in the colony, as was done in the past before the onset of monsoon and did not do any fogging despite repeated pleas and requests by the RWA!
The green-lung in the shape of parks for the benefit of residents are not maintainted at all while the mallies are receiving their salaries on time! Who are to blame? Are we?
With deep regards,
TK Balu/Anand Vihar
