Geeta Colony : Hindustan Times : HT Live East

RWA brings succour to deserted woman

by Smriti Singh

NEW DELHI: When Urmi Shukla's (name changed) husband decided to leave her to live with his girlfriend, she didn't know what to do. Desperate for some help, she turned to her  residents' welfare association. What followed next was beyond what Urmi could have imagined.

Not only did residents of the housing society in Pitampura, north Delhi, decide to help her fight a legal battle against her husband, they also passed a resolution to financially support her by giving her monthly maintenance till the matter was decided by the court. 

It all happened less than two months ago when Urmi, who had nowhere to go for help, went to the office-bearers of Pragati Co-operative Group Housing Society, which she lived and sought help. She told the residents about how her husband had abandoned her and her two children, and had stopped her giving money to run the house. She also told them about the alleged torture her husband had meted out to her. Being illiterate, she did not know what to do. 

On April 23, 2013, the society's management committee passed a resolution to pay Rs 10,000 per month to Urmi through "voluntary contributions" from some residents. The RWA made it clear that this contribution was personal and would not be made from funds received for "maintenance of the society". 

The residents also went to the police station to express their solidarity with Urmi. Going a step further, the residents have engaged a lawyer for her to file a case against her husband and are actively involved in the process of going to various women commissions and tracking the case in court. 

"Isn't actually helping a woman in distress better than lighting a candle at India Gate," posed one of the residents, who did not wished to be named, when asked what made them go out of their way to help this woman. 

For Urmi, the support from residents of her society is god sent. She got married in 1987 and came to the capital to live with her husband in 1992. Since then, she says her life has been a living hell. "I have been subjected to emotional and mental torture. I was beaten up for not bringing in enough dowry. Things got worse in 2007 when my husband started having an affair with another woman and would not come home for days," she said. 

To protect the woman and her children from harassment, the RWA has decided to not allow the husband's entry in the house. They have also registered a complaint with the police against the husband for causing "nuisance" in the building. 

"I am not educated and did not know about my rights until the society members stepped in to help me," Urmi said. With the help of the residents of the society, she has been able to file a case of domestic violence against her husband and another for seeking maintenance. 

Her counsel Sanjay Shrivastava said that this was the first time he had seen a woman getting such support from her neighbours. "I have dealt with many matrimonial cases in my career but this case is unique. I have never seen residents of a society coming in and fighting a case for a woman who is helpless," Shrivastava said.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

DERC Public hearing :

दो प्रतिशत शेयर किसके पास हैं, पता नहीं

नई दिल्ली। जन सुनवाई के दौरान एक चौंकाने वाली बात सामने आई। आरडब्ल्यूए के एक सदस्य ने कहा कि 49 फीसदी शेयर दिल्ली पावर कंपनी लिमिटेड के पास है और 49 फीसदी निजी बिजली वितरण कंपनी (बीआरपीएल और बीवाईपीएल) के पास तो दो प्रतिशत शेयर का मालिक कौन है। इस सवाल का जवाब उन्हें नहीं मिल पाया। निजीकरण के समय 51 फीसदी हिस्सेदारी बिजली वितरण कंपनियों को दी गई थी जबकि 49 फीसदी दिल्ली सरकार ने अपने पास रखा था।

दिल्ली विद्युत विनियामक आयोग (डीईआरसी) के समक्ष ईस्ट दिल्ली आरडब्ल्यूए ज्वाइंट फ्रंट के प्रेसिडेंट बी एस बोहरा ने एक कागजात का हवाला देकर कहा कि यमुना पावर लिमिटेड और दिल्ली पावर कंपनी लिमिटेड की हिस्सेदारी 49-49 फीसदी है। यही नहीं राजधानी पावर लिमिटेड और दिल्ली पावर कंपनी लिमिटेड की हिस्सेदारी भी 49-49 फीसदी ही है। ऐसे में सवाल उठता है कि दो फीसदी शेयर का मालिक आखिर कौन है?

इस सवाल का जवाब किसी के पास नहीं मिला। सुनवाई के दौरान कई बार यह सवाल पूछा गया। आम आदमी पार्टी के नेता अरविंद केजरीवाल ने भी आयोग के चेयरमैन पीडी सुधाकर से पूछा कि दो फीसदी किसके पास है, इसका जवाब दें। चेयरमैन भी इसका जवाब नहीं दे पाए। सिर्फ उन्होंने इतना कहा कि इसका जवाब दिया जाएगा, लेकिन कब, यह पता नहीं।

आश्चर्य की बात है कि जन सुनवाई के दौरान बीएसईएस यमुना और राजधानी पावर लिमिटेड के भी प्रतिनिधि मौजूद थे। लेकिन इस सवाल के जवाब देने की बजाय वे भी मूकदर्शक बने बैठे रहे। जानकार का कहना है कि यदि 49-49 फीसदी हिस्सेदारी बनती है तो प्रबंधन का जिम्मा सरकार के पास होनी चाहिए। इसके बाद सीएजी ऑडिट और आरटीआई भी इन कंपनियों पर लागू हो सकती है। हालांकि, टाटा पावर दिल्ली डिस्ट्रीब्यूशन (डीपीटीटीएल) इलाके में बिजली वितरण कंपनी और सरकार की हिस्सेदारी 51 और 49 फीसदी ही है।

•आयोग के चेयरमैन ने भी चुप्पी साधी

•निजीकरण के समय 51 और 49 फीसदी थी हिस्सेदारी

with thanks : Amar Ujala : LINK

Go Green

DERC Public hearing : Hindustan

DERC Public hearing

Former CAG Mr Vinod Rai : Headlines Today : B S Vohra

Plz view the link below or click on the video if visible :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3crxhKGPRY

आबादी बढ़ी, लेकिन पानी की सप्लाई कम

प्रस ॥ नई दिल्ली : दिल्ली में आबादी लगातार बढ़ रही है और पानी की डिमांड भी उसी रफ्तार से बढ़ रही है। लेकिन पहले जितना पानी मिलता था जल बोर्ड अब उतना पानी भी उपलब्ध नहीं करा रहा है। आरटीआई के जरिए खुलासा हुआ कि जल बोर्ड के दो वॉटर ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट 10 साल पहले जितना पानी प्रड्यूज करते थे, अब उससे कम पानी प्रड्यूज करते हैं। 

ईस्ट दिल्ली आरडब्ल्यूए जॉइंट फ्रंट के प्रेजिडेंट बी. एस. वोहरा ने आरटीआई के जरिए वॉटर ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट की जानकारी मांगी। इसके जवाब में बताया गया कि वजीराबाद वॉटर ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट में 2003-04 मंे 44589 एमजीडी पानी उत्पादन होता था, लेकिन 2012-13 में 44135 एमजीडी ही पानी का उत्पादन हुआ। यानी दस सालों में उत्पादन बढ़ने की बजाय घट गया। इसी तरह चंद्रावल वॉटर ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट में भी पानी का उत्पादन घटा है। 2003-04 में यहां 36860.26 एमजीडी पानी उत्पादन होता था जो 2012-13 में घटकर 33623.93 एमजीडी रह गया। 

with thanks : Navbharat Times : LINK

DJB RTI

Dear Mr. Vohra ji, We must richly compliment and heartily congratulate you on the efforts made and startling revelations which will open the eyes of the public at large. It will be seen that all round lethargy and 'sub chalta hai' attitude have penetrated into the work force and all they wish to have 'money under the table' to make themselves rich. Nobody is accountable or feel their responsibility and they don't feel answerable to the public but to their immediate bosses whose palms can be greased to get outstanding report and accelerated promotions! It is a sorry state of the nation as a whole!! There is no department which is dealing with public is not corrupt, right from the grass root level to the top! You are aware that tapping of underground water for any purpose is strictly prohibited in NCR Delhi and if found the people concerned have to face severe punishment! Does it happen? How the 'building mafia' bend the rules and undertake construction of multi-storeyed flats etc. without water and curing! They pay heavily to the staff concerned, including the Police at the lowest level, who demand as a matter of right, otherwise threaten them including the aam aadmi! How is it being permitted in the open day light? We cannot solve any of the problems unless and until the staff from the lowest to topmost level is corruptless and have an attitude of sympathy and humility towards the public and feel the accountability and responsibility! This attitude is dwindling and people are losing their faith in these establishments and those who could afford thrive and those who cannot, mainly due to financial conditions, cannot survive excepting cursing their fate and in the long run have to perish and/or take to crime, which goes unpunished due to our judicial system!! What is the remedy? None can solve the problem except resorting to violence and no more Bapuji's remedy of 'ahimsa' and non-violence could remedy the situation! Let's together ponder over this vital issue and how to overcome! Thanking you for your startling revelation and efforts made. But what is the solution except getting standard lukewarm reply from the authorities concerned. There is no short or long term plan to turn the tide unless it comes from the top! People's suggestions are not welcome and cast aside and thrown into waste basket! With best regards, TK Balu

Delhi Jal Board RTI by East Delhi RWAs Joint Front : Hindustan Times

Vinod Kumar : Hindustan Times HT Live East