Complete de-silting of drains by May 15, orders L-G

In order to prevent water-logging on arterial roads and colony streets in the city during the monsoon, Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has instructed the civic agencies to complete de-silting of drains by middle of May.

The L-G on Wednesday held a meeting with senior officials of the Delhi Government and the municipal corporations to review the preparedness for the monsoon, particularly the status of de-silting of drains in the Capital.

Officials said Secretary (Irrigation and Flood Control), Secretary (PWD), Commissioners of North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations and CEO, Delhi Jal Board made their respective presentations to the L-G about the preparation for the monsoon, including preparation to tackle floods in the Yamuna and drains, as also preparation to tackle heavy rainfall during the season.

The L-G has called for a review of the work done together with a status report by mid-May. The Lieutenant-Governor also instructed that the PWD and Municipal Commissioners must ensure that their Chief Engineers and Superintendent Engineers continuously monitor and assess the situation on the ground from the middle of May till the end of the monsoon season in September.

with thanks : The Hindu : LINK : for detailed news.

Delhi HC summons chief secretary over water contamination

The Delhi High Court Wednesday summoned the city chief secretary over not submitting a report on contaminated water supplied to residents and not cleaning the polluted Najafgarh drain that was affecting the health of people due to toxic gases emitted from it and which later merges into the Yamuna river.

A division bench of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Jayant Nath expressed displeasure on the conduct of the Delhi government and Delhi Jal Board for not filing a status report on the issues sought by it months before.

"We had granted time for filing status report. Now we seek personal presence of the chief secretary. He will be present in court April 23," the bench said.

The bench also said "Delhi people have no civic sense and throw garbage at any place".

The court was hearing a suo motu cognizance on a letter sent to it by the residents welfare association (RWA) of South Extension Part I complaining that 90 percent of the water was contaminated.

The letter also informed the court about the dismal condition of the colony due to open sewers and more than 50-year-old pipes because of which sewage gets mixed with drinking water, leading to diseases.

with thanks : Business Standard : LINK : for detailed news.

Capital all set for an electric shock again !

Decks have been cleared for yet another hike in the Power tariff in the month of June. 'RWABhagidari' invites your views, opinion, objections on the proposed hike. Plz send your mail to : rwabhagidari@yahoo.in 

Capital all set for an electric shock again

The distribution companies have petitioned the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission for a substantial fuel surcharge hike

Going by the petition of the power distribution companies to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Capital might see a hike in electricity bills once the DERC approves the fuel surcharge hike. The discoms made the requests in their annual average revenue requirement (ARR) petition for financial year 2014-15 they submitted to the DERC. The DERC will take the final call on the issue in next three months.

As part of the annual tariff revision process, the discoms – Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited and Reliance-backed BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna Private Limited – have asked for the Power Purchase Adjustment Cost (PPAC) formula to be more “holistic” and reflective of the true power purchase cost and transmission costs incurred by them.

Deficit revenue recovery

They have also asked for the deficit revenue recovery, which is presently 6 per cent, to be increased. The discoms in their petition to the DERC did not seek any specific rate in the increase but asked for “whatever is appropriate”.

Interestingly, this is the first time since privatisation of power sector that the discoms did not seek any tariff hike in their annual Average Revenue Requirement (ARR).

DERC chairperson P. D. Sudhakar told The Hindu: “The discoms have not sought any tariff hike in the current year but have asked for liquidation of past regulatory assets. They have also petitioned that the PPAC and fuel surcharge to be more holistic and reflective of the purchasing cost.”

The discom officials said that they had informed the DERC through the tariff petitions that they would be able to manage their finances with the PPAC hike and recovery of past dues for the next fiscal, without the need of a tariff revision.

“The discoms’ cost of buying power from generating companies has increased by around 300 per cent in the last two years while the power tariff, in the corresponding period, has risen by around 70 per cent. This virtually non-cost reflective retail tariff has led to a huge build-up of future receivables (regulatory assets) to the tune of over Rs.19,500 crore, impacting the sustainability of operations of the Delhi discoms,” said the official.

The DERC had introduced fuel surcharge in 2012 to help the private power distribution companies adjust their power purchase cost.

In January, the power watchdog had allowed the discoms to levy the fuel cost adjustment charge or fuel surcharge which resulted in a hike of 6-8 per cent in the tariff.

with thanks : The Hindu : LINK

Parking : HT Live East

“Conducting Elections in a Plural Democracy” Talk by Dr S.Y. Quraishi in Uppsala University,Sweden

It will be the biggest election in the world when 814.5 million people will cast their vote in India general election between 7 April and 12 May. To mark the occasion, On Friday , 11 April 2014  the Forum for South Asia Studies at Uppsala University hosted a talk by Dr S.Y. Qureishi, the former election commissioner of India ( a Member of the Board of Advisors of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA).,at Uppsala University, at Blåsenhus.

Dr Qureishi  spoke about “Conducting Elections in a Plural Democracy”,and was joined by Ambassador Maria Leissner, Secretary General at Community of Democracies since 2012.  H.E. Ambassador Mrs. Banashri Bose Harrison Embassy of India Stockholm. THE other prominent delegates  were Ingrid WETTERQVIST,Policy offficer,European External Action Service, Professor Torsten Svensson,  Vice Rektor,Uppsala University, Professor Ranj Bali (President FSAS),Professor Heinz Werner Wessler, Associate Prof.Dr. Gurdeep Kaur,Eva Kllander and Florian Krampe.

Professor Ashok Swain, Department of Peace and Conflict Research chaired the discussion.

The Forum for South Asia Studies at Uppsala University organised this event in cooperation with the Indian Embassy, Stockholm.

Stray dogs and monkey menace !

Dear Mr. Vohra, Sometimes I wonder whether we are living in a cosmopolitan city or in a jungle, unattended and unheard of, which gives a very poor and nasty impression to the visitors in particular besides the menace created both by stray dogs and monkeys ! The administration is loathe to all these perennial problems despite constant, consistent and continuous complaints ad nauseam! What could be done by aam aadmi who all have to depend on the administration to get rid of or overcome this problem!  I had myself been a victim of dog menace which cost me over Rs.30,000/- to mitigate its impact! Can all the poor people afford this luxury! Failing which you may have to face its impact not immediately but over years later, which had happened in one case!! You may approach any Councillor, MLA or MP they too are helpless except giving some sweet lip service and arrange to depute a dog squad, after consistent complaint, to sterilize the stray dogs on the spot, if they come into their trap, and leave them over there itself. Will it be a long term remedy?  Sir, there are so many untold and inexplicable problems like this and more to be focused for remedial solutions but alas the administration and the elected representatives are deaf to hear and solve unless and until you approach them time and again with a lot of influence etc. to pay attention! This is the real state of affairs, indeed! Who can afford so much time and energy to pursue such matters to a logical solutions besides attending to their day to day problems and vocation! May I, therefore, once request you to call for such perennial problems with solutions, if possible from all RWAs under your umbrella and command(!) to consolidate and focus these to all concerned right from the top - LG to the bureaucrats - at the lowest level of 'administration'! No doubt you had made several attempts in this respect but we too should be blamed equally, rather more, for not responding to your clarion calls and focussing them timely!! However, let's invoke Swami Vivekananda's golden words - "Try and try again till the goal is reached"! It is not mere hyperbole but achievable, sooner or later! With best regards, TK Balu/Anand Vihar

Dog Menace in Tuglkabad Extension !

The same stands at our Tuglukabad Extetention. Kindly send me the email addresses of the requisite MCD authorities and others who take action on stray animals pl.

At the same time I have come to understand that the MCD has allowed an increase of height of multistory buildings from 15 meters which was the earlier height and now it is 17 meters. How do u digest this and how and what are the norms exactly. Request pl guide.

DGP Karsolia

Dog menace in Priyadarshini Vihar also !

DOG MENACE

In continuation of Mr Nanda and Mr Karsolia's messages, the problem of stray/street dogs is much more serious in Priyadarshini Vihar for many years.  The govt policy is to take the dogs, sterilize them and drop them back in the same colony - many of them breed even after sterilization!

RWA has approached the MCD/now EDMC and even the MLA umpteen number of times, without any resolution of the problem.  I think a joint strong action is needed by the Joint Front to get the policy amended.

R. N. Gupta

Priyadarshini Vihar RWA

Dog menace in Tri Nagar too !

Dear Sir,

There are many cases of dog bite in the street no. 227 to 231, chander nagar, Tri Nagar, Delhi-110035. M.C.D. department are not interesting any attention of this area. A humble request to MCD to act and remove the menace of stray dogs. 

Regards,

Mahavir Jain

President

Chander Nagar R.W.A.

Dog menace !

The menace of stray dogs is present in every locality.  There are many cases of dog bite in the localities, the apathy on the part of MCD not paying any attention or forming new rules and regulation, just to get rid off from this trouble is the need of the hour.  Many persons are being affected by the poisonous dog bite, which needs early medical care.  A humble request to MCD to act and remove the menace of stray dogs.  

R K Nanda 

CC Block, 

Shalimar Bagh 

Delhi. 110088