Vote Delhi Vote !

Vote Delhi Vote - a compaign to be launched by the "EAST DELHI RWAs JOINT FRONT", in East Delhi to spread awareness on the RIGHT TO VOTE. The trends show that the voting percentage is generally 40 - 55% in various parts of East Delhi. This time we alongwith our RWA friends are launching a movement to increase the vote percentage. Those willing to join us are requested to revert back.

With best regards

B S Vohra

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

www.RWABhagidari.com

Quake shakes New Delhi, other parts of north India

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A moderate earthquake felt across north India rocked buildings and sent office workers running into the streets in New Delhi at lunchtime on Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was about 30 miles (48 km) west of New Delhi. The 5.2 magnitude tremor had a depth of 11.9 miles, the USGS said.

Such quakes rarely cause major damage.

Buildings swayed for about 30 seconds in New Delhi's central business district and many workers abandoned lunch and made for the stairs.

"A colleague and I were talking when we felt the earthquake. We ran down the stairs from our sixth-floor office," said Sonu Soni, 40, an employee with Cisco Systems Inc.

The director of India's Department of Seismology, R.S. Dattatreya, said the quake measured 4.9 on the Richter scale and hit at 13:11 local time (0741 GMT).

with thanks :  Yahoo News : link for details.

MCD elections on Delhi AajTak : Janpath : B S Vohra

Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgPhWgCRO2c&feature=youtu.be

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.com

Councillors oppose people’s role

Dear Mr. Vohra ji, Of course, Councillors will definitely oppose people/RWAs role. Similarly, the RWAs also oppose in equal measure, if not more, which is fully justified, as the works carried out by the former are not repeat not for the benefit of the residents but to please a few individuals who are very close to them and thereby waste theirs(ours) precious constituents money.  For instance in Anand Vihar we could certainly confirm and show that the ruling Councillor over this area has done practically nothing which will benefit a large number of residents but a handful of few and thereby wasting their precious money on things which will not repeat not benefit anyone from the welfare view point! In Anand Vihar 'roads' - main and artery(inner) roads are crying for recarpetting as they are all worn out but the precious money is being spent on paving a few selected sections of sides of the roads thereby preventing 'seepage' of water to 'mother earth' which also forms an integral part of 'rain harvesting' and in renovating 'walking paths' in a few selected parks, which were not warranted at all!  It is a pity that they don't consult the RWAs at all on what works are required to be carried out on priority, which will immensely benefit the residents and repeated pleas of the RWAs, given in writing and spoken orally, are never complied with or listened to! We wonder to whom we could approach for remedial action!!! With regards, TK Balu Secretary/RBECHS/Anand Vihar

MCD funds for RWAs

In order to streamline the residents' ward committee (RWC) scheme of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Mayor Rajni Abbi said on Thursday that the outgoing MCD has approved an allocation of Rs.12,000 per year in its budget for every residents' welfare association (RWA) registered with RWC scheme.

The RWC scheme was introduced last year by the MCD in association with advocacy group People's Action and United Residents' Joint Action (URJA) Delhi, in order to provide residents a platform to have a say in how their neighbourhoods will be developed.

The Mayor said 2,000 RWAs signed up for the scheme and almost 80 have been made operational. “After the MCD trifurcation the RWC scheme will be independent of administrative changes at the civic body level and will remain a consultative committee between the area councillor and the RWAs of the ward as its mandate,” she said. The only “technical change”, according to Ms. Abbi, would be that RWC meeting records will be filed with the Mayor's offices of the respective areas.

with thanks : The Hindu : Link for detailed news.

Councillors oppose people’s role

NEW DELHI: Like Delhi government's ambitious Bhagidari scheme, the concept of Resident Ward Committees (RWCs) was introduced to encourage public participation in civic governance last year. But of 272 wards, RWCs have been formed in just 80 wards. And only about 50 are active. Though the proposal to form RWCs was unanimously passed last year, it has not gone down well with several BJP and Congress councillors. 

Five months into the formation of RWCs, RWAs claim they are facing stiff opposition from councillors. Despite this, the BJP has allocated Rs 34 crore -Rs 12 lakh per ward- for development work involving public participation. A sum of Rs 2.4 crore has been allocated to each RWA registered under the RWC scheme. 

BJP councillor from Rajinder Nagar, Mool Chand Chawla, claims that RWC is a "rubbish concept". He says he doesn't require suggestions from RWAs for the development of the ward. "I'm in touch with RWAs and I routinely take rounds of my area, then what is the need for RWCs?'' questioned Chawla. In his area, 13 RWAs - which have come together to form an RWC - had submitted details of their meeting to Chawla. "He refused to accept our suggestion. Politicians have to understand that the public can play a major role in better governance,'' said Dinesh Malik, convenor, Rajinder Nagar RWC. 

Several councillors are not ready to involve RWAs in the decision-making process. "Why should we consult RWAs before spending the funds? They are welcome to share their problems with us, but the decision to spend funds lies with us," said Congress councillor from Shahpur Jat, Jaishree Panwar. 

with thanks : TOI : LINK for detailed news.

   

RWAs raise your local issues

We hereby invite all the RWAs to mail us any of your CIVIC & SOCIAL issues, related to your area, for uploading on the blog, for highlighting the issue. You must mail the related pics or vids supporting the cause. We are sure, you can highlight the issue with a possibility to resolve at the earliest.

MCD Elections declared

MCD Elections have been declared by Mr Rakesh Mehta, Chief Election Commissioner, Delhi State. These will be held on 15th April.

Inflated Power Bill : Woman wins Rs. 10K

New Delhi: BSES Yamuna Power Ltd has been asked by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 10,000 to one of its customers as compensation for "harassing" her by sending an inflated bill and then disconnecting her electricity supply for not paying it.

The Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum said that the "arbitrary and illegal" act of the discom of sending an inflated bill of over Rs 81,000 to the complainant, Zarina Khatoon, amounts to "deficiency" of service and "illegal trade practice."

"The bill raised by the respondent is quiet arbitrary and illegal and the amount which has been fastened upon the complainant is not at all recoverable from the complainant.

It is a clear case of deficiency and at the same time the action of the respondent is illegal and amount to illegal trade practice," said N A Zaidi, President of the forum.

The forum directed the discom to remove the arrears of more than Rs 78,000 which were billed to her connection and to issue her a fresh bill of the actual electricity consumed.

with thanks : Financial Express : LINK for detailed news.

Letter to DERC

The Chairman.
DERC
New-Delhi.

Dear Sir,

Gd Mrng!

Kindly refer to my mail on this subject whose reply is awaited. In the meanwhile some of the Civil Societies and my Peer Groups that one represents have agreed to back the Commission on the following--

1) The one hour saving by way of these Groups of x MW of POWER,should be either 

a) Made available during shortages in the on coming summers and not to be TRADED upon as has been the practice of the DISCOMS specially BSES/BRPL as per data available on the Power Exchanges and the buyers

b) They give a concession on TARIFF to all subscribers under this regime for this x MW saved.

c) These Civil /Peer Groups are also willing to carry this Programme to the last mile on the road with DERC provided they get some financial support

In order to do the same they require from DERC a written order to be passed at the earliest as time is running out the same should be done by the 2/03/12 after which it is too late.

Also would like to know if DERC is doing any thing to promote the 'INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY' as Power effects the Woman the maximum.

Awaiting your valuable comments on the same.

Thanking You.
Yours Sincerely.
B.B.Tewari.
Adviser A-2 Block RWA (Reg)

Happy Womens Week (March 1 to 8th)

Dear Mr Watwani,Rajiv,Mr Vohra,

Help us in raising awareness by circulating this mail.

 

CELEBRATING WOMENHOOD : Happy Womens Week (March 1 to 8th)Let us Take a pledge to PUT A SELF BAN ON USE OF PLASTIC CARRYBAGS

Govt policies and law can only be effective if we take action at individual level. It will bring about the change we wish for.The plastic carrybags we use are not only choking drains and water bodies,but are also choking our mother Earth. Let us take baby steps to reduce toxic waste we are dumping in our environment.

Baby Steps we can take:

Let us make little effort to keep environment friendly carry bags  in our vehicles.

Return the polybags to your colony fruit and vegetable vendor.

Collect all the accumulated  plastic carry  bags in your house and gift  the polybags to your veg and fruit vendors or better still gift him a cane or plastic basket used during earlier times.

LET US SAY NO TO NON BIODEGRADABLE POLYBAGS.

 

"Be a catalyst for safeguarding Environment"  Shield-Citizen's initiative

 

Ranju Minhas

Executive director

Shield-Citizen’s Initiative