New Rajendra Nagar body still does it the old way

NEW DELHI: With most residents' welfare associations ( RWAs) now behaving like quasi-authorities, there is one that remains cast in the old mould. The RWA in R-block, New Rajendra Nagar believes that civic agencies—not tax-payers—should be made accountable for services. It collects a nominal annual membership of Rs 100 from residents but tries to get them all essential services by building pressure on the civic agencies concerned. 

"All we collect from a household is the annual membership fee. The RWA is not there to collect maintenance charges—that is the job of civic utilities. Our job is to ensure they do theirs. Residents already pay for basic services through taxes, and water and power bills, so why should anyone pay more?'' said D M Narang, general secretary of the association. 

The RWA takes its task quite seriously. "Household trash is collected by auto tippers every morning. There is also a dhalao nearby where garbage is collected routinely. The 33 parks in the locality are maintained by the municipal corporation or individuals," said Narang, adding, "we try to get the work done by civic agencies on behalf of the residents. A large part of DJB's bill is sewer charges, so whenever there is a sewer related problem, we ensure DJB does the work". 

The RWA gets the area discom, which maintains streetlights on behalf of the corporation, to keep them in order. For security, households pool in to hire guards for their lane while the RWA takes up problems with the local police. 

Recently, the RWA has moved a proposal to increase the annual membership from Rs 100 to Rs 500. "There are approximately 1,100 houses in R-block. We do not pressure anyone to pay the membership fee, people pay willingly,'' said Narang.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

For Bhandaris, it was a matter of principle

NEW DELHI: When the Bhandaris, O P and Aruna, of Munirka Enclave were dragged to court in 2006, they did not foresee becoming the face of a judgment that would bring the working of most residents' welfare associations (RWAs) in the city under the scanner. The couple took a stand to not pay their RWA for services provided by civic agencies. A local court's recent judgment in their favour will have ramifications for not only Munirka Enclave but also other RWAs across the city. 

The Bhandaris' legal battle started in 2006 when the then RWA president, H C Saroha, filed a case in court. O P Bhandari, 72, says he refused to pay the RWA its Rs 200 maintenance charge as its services were "just artificially created". In 1990, when Bhandari shifted to Munirka Enclave, the charge was Rs 50; it has since increased to Rs 500 per month. 

"I completely agree that there should be a body that looks after colonies," says Bhandari, a former employee of India Tourism Development Corporation. "It should look after common areas like staircases and shafts. But no such services are being provided". 

He says the RWAs have no business charging for services like garbage collection, maintenance of parks, repair of drains etc as these jobs are done by the MCD. "RWAs have become bodies that collect funds from residents and waste them on unnecessary things. They have harassed us many times in between." 

But the RWA denies these allegations. Its office bearers say they charge for services not provided by the civic agencies. They are contemplating contesting the court's verdict. "We have lost the case on some technical points but we do plan to contest it," said a senior functionary of the RWA on condition of anonymity. 

"The Bhandaris do not pay for the colony's security that's not provided by DDA or MCD. Also, municipal workers are not always there for cleaning and maintenance," he added. 

Saroha, the complainant, says the RWA funds ensure proper cleaning of the common areas. "The civic agencies look after roads and horticulture, but common areas like chutes, quarters for labourers, chowkidars etc are taken care of by the RWA. And the Bhandaris do not pay for these services," he said.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

Hit by verdict, RWAs at a turning point

NEW DELHI: A local court's order that residents' welfare association's (RWAs) in colonies developed by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) cannot collect maintenance charges has put a question mark on the functioning of RWAs in the capital. RWA fees—variously called maintenance charges, membership fees, common service expenses or simply security charges—may soon be challenged by residents following the landmark judgment. 

Most plotted colonies were developed by DDA and handed over to the MCD, whose offshoots—the three municipal corporations—are now responsible for their maintenance. But RWAs claim the corporations do a shoddy job so they have to look after local maintenance. Also, the charges are necessary for hiring security staff, they say. 

"While it is fair to say that municipal corporations have to do the maintenance work and the state is there to provide security, the same is not true in practice," said Ashutosh Dikshit, member of URJA, an organization of RWAs. "If we left the maintenance of parks to MCD, they would be in a shambles," said Rajiv Kakria, member, GK-1 RWA. 

The RWAs claim they need more funds to properly maintain their neighbourhoods but their present legal status is a hurdle. Dikshit says the associations are at present registered as societies under the Societies Act of 1860 which does not grant them statutory or legal protection. URJA is seeking statutory status for RWAs. 

Kakria said although his RWA charges only Rs 100 per month, the fee is not compulsory. "In a year we collect about Rs 6 lakh from residents, which is insufficient. We had to let go of some of our colony guards as gardeners, sweepers and contractors also need to be paid. We also organize cultural events and there are costs for water harvesting." 

The court ruled that RWAs can collect maintenance charges if they have been constituted for a multi-storey building complex (defined as a structure with four or more storeys of apartments) under the erstwhile Apartment Ownership Act. Most of the old DDA developed apartments do not fall in this category. Another condition about a pre-existing agreement between DDA and the RWA for collection of maintenance charges is also not applicable in most cases. 

"We will hold a meeting of all RWAs on this issue. If need be, we might approach the higher court," said Amit Aggarwal, executive member of the Vasant Kunj RWA. "If the government does not want us to collect funds, it should provide us with necessary facilities," he added. The Vasant Kunj A-Block RWA, Aggarwal said, charges Rs 200 monthly to pay salaries of 17 guards and for other services. 

While RWAs claim their existence is essential, many residents TOI spoke to said they pay membership fees not because of faith in these bodies but due to fear of boycott. 

"When I pay house tax to the corporation, why should I pay extra money to any RWA for maintenance of colony roads, parks or streetlights? None of the RWAs gets its accounts audited and selection of members is arbitrary," said Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Lajpat Nagar. A south Delhi resident said, "Most houses have private guards, so why do we need to pay security charges? But if I do not pay, the RWA can make my life difficult by denying parking space, club membership or withholding important documents like IGL forms etc," he said. 

A Sarita Vihar resident said, "I have lived here for more than a decade but am still reluctant to pay maintenance charges. The reason is lack of regular sweeping, poor maintenance of back lanes and a closed system that fails to engage residents in the management of their neighbourhoods". 

RWAs, however, stress that the system based on maintenance charges has improved colonies. Gulshan Rai, executive member of the RWA in C2-Block, Janakpuri, said, "RWAs provide many basic services and funds are needed for these, but if someone does not want to pay, they simply don't." The RWA collects Rs 1,500 a month per household.

with thanks : Times Of India : LINK

Tariff shock likely if discoms win appeal

NEW DELHI: Just when political parties are raising the pitch over bijli-paani issues, a newpower tariff shock looms large over the city. Sources said that power discoms BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and Tata Power Delhi have gone to the Apellate Tribunal of Electricity seeking immediate implementation of certain directions that the tribunal has ruled in their favour which the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has con8tested in the Supreme Court.

Discoms said that till the time the SC grants a stay on any of the orders, DERC was duty bound to follow the tribunal's directions in tariff issues like pending dues to discoms worth over Rs 5,000 crores.

Power sector experts said that if the ATE ruled in favour of discoms, it could have a cascading effect DERC chairperson P D Sudhakar told TOI: "Whatever the ATE decides will be subject to the final SC decision. There are a number of ATE orders on tariffs which we have contested in SC and the hearings are still ongoing. If the ATE rules for discoms, certain dues will have to be paid to the power companies. But this will be spread over a period of time otherwise tariffs will rise drastically.''

with thanks : Times of India : LINK : for detailed news.

RWAs : join the Mega Federation of Delhi

RWAs, we hereby invite you to join the Mega Federation of Delhi. Please mail us your contacts to : rwabhagidari@yahoo.in

EAST DELHI RWAs JOINT FRONT : Hindustan Times

Power issue : Hindustan

WHY & HOW MOSQUITO SHOULD BE ERRADICATED

DEAR FREINDS,

WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ERRADICATE MOSQUITO

1.Because it causes discomfort,diseases & death.

2.It disturbs sleep leading to inadequate sleep which may lead to industrial & road side serious accidents.

3.One has to burn goodnights ,all outs kchuwa chap agarwati etc ,has to keep the windows 7 doors closed to prevent mosquitoes from entering house.All this causes indoor pollution & increased chance of transmission of communicable diseases.

4.One has to put the fan on high speed to avoid its bite causing increases incidence of breathing problems,common cold etc specially in children & old age leading to hospitalisation

5.By taking all measures ,one or its all family members, cannot be 100% sure of safety from mosquito bite all the time.

6.Because it is very very easy to eradicate mosquito rather then to prevent its bite if we take following steps.

7.If mosquitoes are not eradicated ,a society of say 1000 houses looses annuallyat least 30,000/year on purchase of mosquito repellents besides other above mentioned risks & problems.

8.Blood & platelets transfusion has its own dangerous risks of transmission of blood born diseases like hepatitis B & HIV

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                


STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO ERRADICATE MOSQUITO :

1.First of all we have to believe /convince ourselves that:

a) mosquito can be eradicated .

b)Mosquito can breed in stagnant water only if an adult mosquito from somewhere comes to site of stagnant water & lays eggs in it .

3.We ourselves have to search for breeding sites not only in our desert coolers but in other places also like any water collection in drains ,ditches ,ponds etc. For such a dangerous animal ,one does not have to depend upon officials of govt department when it is only one time measure & one can do it.If we search 100 sites we may find breeding in only 10 sites & if we spray diesel in all 10 sites ,next time we may find breeding in only 1-2 sites.The number has to decrease day by day.In just 10 days an area can be free from mosquitoes for ever if adjacent RWAs do it together .

4.We have to survey the area & find out the colony which is having massive mosquito presence even in severe winter or severe summer.It can be confirmed by visiting the colony in the evening & looking for mosquitoes & speaking to people.

5.Search or ask people  of the area with heavy mosquito presence about where abouts of massive  collection of water .

6.Look for area of maximum breeding & get it cleaned by paying to the casual willing workers living nearby.We can always find some needy persons who will do it for some money.Put some diesel to kill larvae.If stagnation is removed or the water is cleaned of major debris & some diesel is sprayed the breeding may not recur.If it recurs ,the process can  be repeated once or twice every 4^th day.

Mosquitoes of all types whether of dengue or malaria or brain fever , come out & fly off from the place of breeding in evening just after sunset & can be easily seen.It indirectly identifies the hidden place of breeding which some times may be difficult to detect in day time as some times water is too little & hidden to be seen in the partially covered drains.Initially it is difficult to identify larvae specially if they are too many & mixed with debris.It becomes esy to identify if we sprinkle little diesel over the suspected site of breeding.If there is breeding the water surface will start vibrating due to increased activity of larvae due to blockage of dissolved oxygen supply & larvae will stand out clearly .

7.When a big site is eradicated/controlled ,many small sites automatically vanish & 99% of mosquito problem in an area of 8 kms around is solved.If at all ,there remains an area with breeding ,it can be detected & controlled.

8.Today the problem is as we all including the care takers of buildings ,schools ,institutions only worry about breeding in desert coolers as malaria department challans only if there is breeding in desert coolers .All of us are conditioned to look only in coolers.We all think that to check & take care of breeding in drains 7 ponds is the duty of malaria workers .We all depend upon few workers of malaria department for our dangerous problem of centuries.This problem is no problem if we just share the work of malaria department & look for  breeding sites other then desert coolers not only in rainy season but even in severe winter & cold ,not only in our own colony but in other colonies also.

9.We all are intelligent .It is not right to allow mosquito to kill us ,terrorise us ,to lock our selves behind closed doors & windows.

10.Remeber it breeds only in stagnant water that too in that portion which is in darkness & all larvae die if diesel/kerosene oil sprayed.

Dr VK AGGARWAL

A-7 EAST OF KAILASH NEW DELHI 110065

8800164455

Holi celebrated at Priyadarshini Vihar

Holi festival was celebrated at Priyadarshini Vihar with great enthusiasm and spirit.  All men, women and children participated in playing holi with flower petals, sandalwood paste tilak and dry gulal.  Jokes, kavitas and songs were recited by the residents, enjoyed by everyone.  Traditional gujia, kachori and thandai were served after the celeberations.  Some pictures for our members to enjoy.

 

 

Wishing you all a Happy Holi !

 

Ram Gupta

Priyadarshini Vihar RWA

Men rob Delhi businessman's house with toy gun

New Delhi: Four unidentified people, posing as BSES employees, entered the house of a businessman and made away with cash and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees after threatening his wife and children on Thursday with a toy gun, police said.

The incident was reported from Soorajmal Vihar of east Delhi's Anand Vihar area around 2.30 pm.

"The four men gained entry to the house of Pankaj Aggarwal. At the time of the incident, Aggarwal was out of the house," a police officer said.

 "The accused kept Aggarwal's wife and three children hostage at the point of a toy gun and robbed of Rs.3 lakh in cash, some jewellery and one iPhone. They tied the hands and legs of the victims before fleeing from the spot," the officer added.

According to the officer, the accused appeared familiar with the routine Aggarwal followed.

with thanks : NDTV : Link

Come summer, this scam may cause water riots in Delhi

by Raman Kirpal  Mar 28, 2013

Now the tube well scam! This scam may not ruffle the political hierarchy, but it has shaken foundations of the Delhi Jal Board. The CBI has booked as many as 30 engineers, including executive and senior level engineers, of the Delhi Jal Board along with nearly 50 contractors and private persons for using cheap brand equipment in setting up tube wells.

Over 200 tube wells may dry in the ‘water-riot’ city of Delhi, because the steel tube or pipe bored into an underground aquifer is inferior and locally made. The tubes used were supposed to be Johnson stainless steel screen mash tube. Instead, the contractors used local tubes on the sly. These tubes may get rusted any day and thus may cause artificial water scarcity during summer in the capital.

Quenching thirst. Reuters

The amount involved in this scam runs into less than Rs 10 crore, but the fear of water scarcity and the involvement of huge number of engineers and contractors into the conspiracy have raised alarms. The CBI has registered 18 cases against these engineers and contractors so far and has already filed five charge sheets in the case.

The Delhi Jal Board has dug tube wells all over the city to use ground water for emergency purposes. In fact, some areas in South and West Delhi are heavily dependent on the ground water. Two-hundred tube wells mired in this scam are located in Karol Bagh, Rohini, Naraina, Rajouri Garden, Tilak Nagar, Najafgarh (all in West Delhi) and RK Puram, Kalkaji, Fatehpur Beri and Tughlaqabad Extension (all in South Delhi). All these areas are prone to water scarcity during the summer.

An executive engineer PK Jain, three assistant engineers NK Khare, BD Arya and Shiv Hari and nearly 30 junior engineers have been booked in the tube well corruption cases. Contractors charged under corruption clauses are M/s Home Decorator Builders and Engineer, M/s India Tube well, M/s Sarawgi and Sons, M/s R B Sales, M/s Water Well Drillers, M/s Bharti Enterprises, M/s Nitin Enterprises, M/s Kadri Tubewells Construction Pvt Ltd, M/s CST & Co., M/s Sri Raghuvendra Borewell, M/s Ravi Goyal and M/s MS Borewell.

According to the Delhi Jal Board specifications, the high quality tube wells were supposed to be fitted with stainless steel Johnson pipe, which have firm structure, temperature and corrosion resistance, good mechanical properties, long service life, safe and reliable characteristics. Even the Contractors’ bills submitted to the Delhi Jal Board certified that they have used the Johnson pipes.

Charges leveled against the engineers, contractors and private persons include gratification taken by public servants, criminal misconduct and abetment to corruption. In five FIRs, the special CBI judge has taken cognizance of the offences, after the CBI filed the charge sheets.

with thanks : FIRSTPOST : LINK