AMPLE SCOPE TO 'SAVE ENERGY'

We fully agree and support the views of Mr Balu.  We see street lights on till 6 - 6.30 am in summer whereas they should be switched off latest by 5:30 am.  We have to switch on and switch off street lights and high mast in parks ourselves, whereas BSES should be responsible for it.  At places, we have seen that even after installing high mast the existing halogen lights (under or very close to the high mast) are not removed and they are also switched on every day.  We have raised it couple of times in BSES meetings and got a few removed, but they won't remove the others on their own - they don't have to pay from their own pockets.

It is also good idea that BSES provide CFL/LED bulbs and tubes at subsidized rates; involve RWAs for promotion in their respective areas.   

R. N. Gupta

General Secretary

Priyadarshini Vihar RWA 

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Ample scope to 'save energy' !

Dear Vohra ji,

While I reserve my comments on 'increase in tariff' by the DISCOMS, I would like to specifically point out and bring to the notice of the authorities once again there is ample scope to 'save energy' which is not being resorted to deliberately by the authorities concerned! I quote only a couple of examples e.g. why the street lights, lights in the parks and in other public places the lights should remain 'on' even after the dawn time when all such places become bright; why should they use powerful 'halogen' lamps etc. which consumes a lot of power and switch over to 'CFL' or LED/LCD' which they profess in their advts. Some of the cities in our country have switched over to the latter to save power which means a lot and thereby save the money of aam aadmi for ever; why not have a mechanism of switching over automatically which they could resort to, as is being done in most of the areas/spheres; why should you have 'high mast light' in parks; why not encourage selling CFL/LED bulbs etc. at subsidized rates to the public to save a lot of energy for domestic use and encourage the people to exchange the conventional bulbs with such 'energy saving' bulbs, etc.

While we may continue to contest the 'hike', the suggestion made above may be taken to its logical conclusion and implement them in phases all over - setting an example in a particular area or colony through the assistance of RWAs etc. Let's mean business instead of shouting from the roof top and resorting to agitation in streets which only disturb people and cause untold inconvenience to them! Let me be pardoned to say so but I am expressing my anguish in resorting to such methods instead of following the democratic way which we should uphold!

With regards,

TK Balu/Anand Vihar

Power regulator to seek EC nod for tariff hike in city

The power regulator in Delhi plans to seek approval of the Election Commission before proceeding on the plea of private power companies to hike electricity rates in the new financial year.

If the power companies’ request is accepted, consumers may be forced to shell out extra charges in their monthly bills, sources said.  

Sources in the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) said that in case of any delay on the issue, private power distribution companies (discoms) were likely to protest.The companies did not want to continue supplying power at current rates and were opposed to putting off rate fixation for fiscal 2014-15 till the end of the multi-phase Lok Sabha elections, they said.

The DERC fixes power supply charges for the capital. The process of revising the power tariff usually begins in February or March, but it could not be done so this year because of the drive launched by the Aam Aadmi Party government against discoms.

The announcement of the Lok Sabha elections brought the model code of conduct into effect. The DERC initially planned to seek the Election Commission’s approval to begin the process of computing power tariff for the new financial year.

with thanks : Deccan Herald : LINK : for detailed news.

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