Residents fume as water enters houses

NEW DELHI: Heavy rain on Monday evening brought life to a standstill in the capital with water entering houses and shops. Fed up with recurrent waterlogging in colonies after every downpour, Delhiites blame inefficient drainage and indifference of civic authorities.

Dilpreet Singh, a lawyer in Pusa Road area, said that his ground-floor office in 1 Pusa Road was flooded after the showers. "Construction work finished in this area just a few days ago. New roads and sewer lines have been laid here. And only after a few hours of rain, the roads were under knee-deep water," said Dilpreet. Sitting in his office, Dilpreet could see the water gushing slowly inside as the rain intensified. "Within a few minutes, the water started seeping into the office. We immediately switched off the power mains, and soon the office was flooded," Dilpreet said. 

He added that he called up the MCD helpline immediately after the flooding began. "It has been several hours since I called, but there has been no response. All my documents and files have been destroyed," Dilpreet lamented.

Most people are now accustomed to this nuisance of waterlogging as it has become a usual occurrence every season. Rajiv Kakaria, resident of GK-I and a member of his area's RWA, said that had it rained for a few more hours, the waterlogging could have been acute. "This happens every time it pours. Within moments the whole place gets inundated with water. And it isn't long before the houses along side waterlogged roads start getting flooded." He added that the ongoing construction activity on the roads makes the situation worse.   

With thanks : source : Times of India : Link in headline above for detailed story.

www.,RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Littering will cost you dear ?

I am sure this can not be implemented as it is very difficult to teach people, they feel littering is their RIGHT, and the LAW is to be broken (KAUN DEKH RAHA HAI? TERE BAAP KI SARAK HAI) and ofcourse where are the Rest rooms???
 

A.Gupta 

Littering Will Cost You Dear, Delhi Govt Set to Notify Anti-Littering Law ;Huge Hikes In Fines

Keep at least Rs 500 handy the next time you decide to treat public places as restrooms. The Delhi government is all set to notify an anti-littering law which will fine people for offences like spitting, urinating, littering in public places. The last date for receiving public opinion and objections to the law is July 20.

However, the initiative of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi(MCD) to garner reaction of Delhiites on the proposed law has fallen flat as out of the 17-million population only 10 have expressed their opinion. The proposed law was put on the MCD's website a month ago. 

"Had we implemented this law without seeking opinion of the masses, they would have criticised us heavily. But now hardly anyone has bothered to give their opinion. We will now send the proposal to the Delhi government for approval," said an MCD official. 

with thanks : source : Hindustan Times : Link in headline above for detailed news.

www.rwabhagidari.blogspot.com

trees uprooted after the heavy downpour on Monday

After yesterdays heavy downfall, Krishna nagar was inundated with muddy waters & trees were uprooted in our area. We requested to Mr Sandeep Kapoor a fellow RWA activist & Mandal Adhyaksh of BJP,  to look into the matter. With in hours, persons from the horticulture department visited & cleared the road & informed that the remains of the tree will be lifted in a day from the road. We are thankful to Mr Kapoor  as well Dr. Monga, the area councillor for the kind cooperation.

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Customers can choose time of gas cylinder delivery for a fee

Getting a gas cylinder may become a little easier for customers. The government owned oil marketing firms will launch a service on Tuesday that will enable buyers to choose when deliveries should take place.

The "preferred time delivery" scheme will initially be available in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, for an additional payment that will vary from Rs20 to Rs50 per delivery, depending upon the time and day.

"We are looking at massive expansion in domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder capacity in the country and aim to add one crore cylinders every year over a period of next five years. Schemes like these will appeal to customers," said Jitin Prasada, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas.

A delivery before 8am in a city such as Delhi will cost an additional Rs50 above the Rs345.35 for the cylinder. Deliveries between 8am and 6pm will cost Rs25 extra and Rs50 more between 6pm and 8pm. A customer is entitled to a discount of Rs20 in case of delayed delivery.

The scheme is to be offered by the distributors of Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOC) (Indane), Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (Bharat Gas) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HP Gas). It will also be available in the neighbourhood of the cities mentioned above, including Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Sonepat, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Mira Road and Bhayander. The scheme will be extended to all towns having a population of about one million.

with thanks : source : LiveMint : with link in headline above for detailed news.

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Swami Vivekananda..... A GREAT ANSWER

My dear Shri Vohra Ji,

I am sending you a very interesting and meaning full mail. I hope you will like it and send to other intelligent friend.
 

Subject: Swami Vivekananda..... A GREAT ANSWER

When Swami Vivekananda went to USA , a lady asked him to marry her. When Swami asked the lady about what made her ask him such question. The lady replied that she was fascinated by his intellect. She wanted  a child of such an intellect. So she asked Swami, whether he could marry her and give a child like him.

He said to that lady, that since she was attracted only by his intellect, there is no problem.

"My dear lady, I understand Your desire. Marrying and bringing a child in to this world and understanding whether it is intelligent or not takes very long time. More over it is not guaranteed.

Instead, to fulfil Your desire immediately, I can suggest a guaranteed way. Take me as Your child. You are my mother. Now Your desire of having a child of my intellect is fulfilled."

The lady was speechless.

Thanks & Regards

Major Mehar Sood.

For all the ills of today, we, the RWAs are also equally responsible.

Dear S. Vohra ji,

Thanks. For all the ills of today, we, the RWAs are also equally responsible. Let's not shed away our responsibility! I mean no offence. It is basically because of in-fighting amongst the members in the Managing Committes of RWAs supplemented with the 'chalta hai' attitude of the authorities concerned particularly at the basic level, who are only responsible and answerable to their bosses, most of them have the same attitude who have no passion or committment for doing the work perfectly. This is further accentuated by our representatives whom we elect once in 5 years and who are also not anwerable to the aam admit but to their leaders only!

Earlier the term of office of the members of the MC for one year only and they could not take any long time view for the overall development of the colony but shortsighted to achieve 'small' favours with which they were happy! But now with the longer term of office i.e. 3 years the members could certainly chalk out long term strategies and planning for the overall development of their respective colonies but with all 'old people' (no offence to any) still clinching to their offices and not exposed to outside development and technologies, we are still roaming in the dark! How many RWAs are having full-fledged offices with whole time paid staff, how many offices are equipped with PCs and other basic facilities etc. We have not modernised the offices.

Why not we could correspond over e-mails with all authorities concerned and thereby save precious time, energy and precious paper (making it environmentally rich) and the RCS and such authorities including the Bhagidari schemes of the Govt. could also assist the RWAs in setting up the offices properly and streamlining their working and meet partly or wholly the RWAs expenses who comply with the requirements of the Govt. in this respect, like the National Sports Federations, who are all also autonomous, but assisted with financial assistance and paid Joint/Asst. Secretaries who function in the offices of the NSFs, who are also given accommodation etc. free of cost by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports! 

We have a lot of scope for improving the working conditions of the RWAs who cannot survive only on charity of the residents, whose demands and expectations from the RWAs are ever increasing unabatedly! Let's ponder over the matter in the overall interest of the RWAs' functioning ably assisted by the Govt. agencies, which is really a 'bhagidari' effort and contribution!

With best regards,

TK Balu
Hony.Secretary/RBECHS/Anand Vihar

Neglected, Kilokri takes to Games blackmail

RWA Wants To Invite CWG Delegates So Government Is Forced To Spruce Up Village.

New Delhi: If the Commonwealth Games is the only word that now rings a bell in Delhi’s corridors of power, then the RWA of Kilokri village has found a way to get its problems addressed. 

The area, like any other unplanned colony, has its set of problems like waterlogging, broken roads, illegal constructions and encroachment by vendors. And RWA members along with prominent village elders have hit a unique idea to compel the MCD and Delhi Police to take note of their problems. They have decided to formally invite Games delegates by putting up posters, banners and hoardings along the Ring Road in front of their village.  

They have already written to the lieutenant governor informing him about their intentions. “There is a facelift planned for Connaught Place and India Gate to showcase them to the world while Kilokri and Sarai Kale Khan which have greater historical value have been blissfully consigned to oblivion,” said Nand Kishore, general secretary RWA Kilokri village. He says Kilokri was the capital during the rule of Balban and again during the reign of Tomars and Chauhans. Sarai Kale Khan, he says, was constructed by the Muslim chief Kale Khan in the fourteenth century as an inn to be used by visitors coming to Kilokri.

    

RWA officials of Kilokri firmly believe that if they manage to get some Games delegates to visit the village, the government will have no option but to spruce up the area. They have even requested the Games organizing committee to incorporate the visit in the itinerary.

 with thanks : source : Times of India : link in headline for detailed story.

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

RUSH TO MEET DEADLINE : Tariff For Green Power Announced By DERC

In a rush to meet the July 15 deadline set by the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), Delhi's power regulator DERC on Friday announced solar tariff regulations for the city wherein Delhiites will have to pay just Rs 5.50/unit for renewable power that would be purchased by discoms, be it solar or wind power.

  Had the regulator missed the crucial cut-off date, Delhi would have lost out on the generation-based incentives (GBI) being offered by MNRE to promote green power in the country.

The order is in line with the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Power mission and as per the regulations put by MNRE and the tariffs fixed by CERC. Under CERC's tariff for renewable energy sources, cost of solar power up to Rs 17/unit is permitted. But now, as per the latest order, discoms will charge consumers just 5.50/unit from consumers for green power as power purchase cost. The remaining amount will come as GBI from MNRE. Besides, under the existing tariff order of Delhi, up to 1% of power procured by discoms can be sourced from renewable sources like wind or solar.

Projects like PWD's solar project at Thyagraj Stadium or NDPL's rooftop solar panel project will all be covered under the scheme. Any corporate or sectors that are interested in setting up solar projects will now be able to tie up with distribution companies to avail of the GBI.

Failure to announce these tariff on time would have meant that Delhiites would have paid more than double for solar power compared to several other states. Most other states had announced solar power tariffs last year itself and there were doubts whether Delhi would be able to meet the MNRE deadline or not.

with thanks : source : Times of India : with link in headline above for detailed news.

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Poor Work Quality by MCD

Last year MCD replaced nearly 28 years old underground water distribution pipes and ferrules etc in Shivalik Apartments, Alaknanda, Kalkaji in South Delhi as these had started leaking. They also replaced the covers of about 30 pits  in which ferrules for individual flats are fitted . They removed steel covers on these ferrule pits and fitted precast RCC slabs as covers. These are ill designed and of poor  quality. There is inadequate steel reinforcement in these. Of about 30 covers nearly half are already broken. Complaints to MCD are as usual are of no help. Also some of these covers are fitted is such way that these are protuding  6-8 inches above the ground. These has spoilt the smooth level of the area. Car parking are is thus reduced and   uneven area is a potential source of accident to pedestrians

 

The way the job is executed is a shame to the  engineer in- charge or the area. Bad quality material and third rate implementaion creating potential accident prone points.

 

Gurcharan Singh M.E.

36, Shivalik Apartments

Alaknanda, Kalkaji

26031233 

B S Vohra in Hindustan times - comments

Congratulations!! Admire your valued concern & appreciation for your neighbours & neighbourhood.In fact, your neighbours are lucky enough to have you & your family as their biggest asset!! Today society badly needs honest,sincere & committed people like you for its upliftment !! Proud of you!! 

Dr. Gurdeep Kaur