DC empowers Nirvana RWA, sets an example

GURGAON: In the first such order, the deputy commissioner on Thursday authorized the transfer of non-mandatory services in Nirvana Country, a township in Sector 50, from the developer to the RWA. According to the order, services such as power back-up and security should be transferred to the RWA with immediate effect. Mandatory services include water supply, drainage, common area lighting, etc while non-mandatory services are those like power backup, security and horticulture, to name a few.

Deputy commissioner T L Satyaprakash told TOI empowering residents` bodies made sense. "I think it is the developer`s responsibility to provide services. They should transfer responsibility to the RWA if the residents are not satisfied with the services provided by them," Satyaprakash said.

Appreciating the prompt action, Sanu Kapila, president of Nirvana Residents` Welfare Association (NRWA), said, "It`s a historic order. We have been demanding the transfer of services so that they can be maintained in a better manner with the active involvement of the residents." The NRWA, which has been raising the issue with the authorities for years, had taken it up during a grievances meeting with agriculture minister O P Dhankar last week.

with thanks : nyoooz : LINK : for detailed news.

Gurgaon`s first all-woman RWA

GURGAON: The International Women`s Day is all about celebrating the spirit of women who have made a difference in society, overcoming discrimination and stereotypes. An all-woman RWA, Luxotica Residents` Welfare Association in Mayfield Garden, Sector 51, is one such example. Interestingly, seven women have been managing affairs of the society for the last two years.

Though it requires a different kind of courage to take on the responsibility of affairs of a residential society, wherein RWA members have to deal with policemen, government officials, labourers and technicians on a daily basis, the group was confident enough to sail through all odds. Talking about the formation of the association, Manju, the president of the RWA, said, "When we moved to the society, we realised that most RWAs keep fighting with the builder, government officials and other residents. They also indulge in a lot of politics.

Many residents, therefore, don`t trust RWAs. We, therefore, wanted to focus on actions and resolve problems at the level of residents. So we decided to have more women to take over the responsibility of the society`s affairs.

with thanks : nyooz : LINK : for detailed news.

RWA body to decide on repoll tomorrow

NOIDA: The Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Associations (FONRWA) said on Friday that the dissolution of its election by SDM Dadri was based on "baseless" allegations. FONRWA had sent its response to the petition filed by Pyarelal Yadav to the SDM's office through deputy registrar, Meerut, with whom the association is registered.

According to FONRWA, which held a meeting on Friday on the issue, the facts with regard to the petition filed by Pyarelal Yadav were unfounded, baseless and misleading. "The allegations levelled by some persons are from people who are not members of FONRWA," said N P Singh, ex-president of the body.

FONRWA has scheduled a general body meeting for March 29 where a decision will be taken on whether to hold a re-election or to challenge the SDM's order based on a vote.

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

Court suspends RWA body FONRWA, Executive Committee disappointed with the order

A day after the local court suspended the RWAs umbrella body, Federation of Noida Resident Welfare Association (FONRWA) for electing its member in an undemocratic manner; the FONRWA body held a meeting on Friday and stated that the formation of FONRWA Executive committee is strictly in accordance with the provisions and procedures contained in the Bye-laws.

The election was challenged by 60 RWAs, represented by Pyare Lal, Sector-20 RWA president, by sending an affidavit to the deputy registrar, Meerut. According to the order FORWA failed to maintain transparency in the election.

Pyare Lal questioned the validity and the mode of the elections conducted by FONRWA. “They neither declared the date of the election nor appointed any officer and moreover, many RWA members were kept in dark about the elections, as intimidation was only done by mail just two days prior to the election,” he said.

However, FORWA’s Executive Committee refuted all the charges and even raised fingers against Pyare Lal for questioning the elections. “He is not even a FONRWA member, how can he challenge the elections. Moreover, out of 60 people who challenged the elections, only 13 are member of FONRWA. This is nothing but a political strategy,” said AN Dhawan, former-senior Vice-President.

with thanks : DNA : LINK : for detailed news.

'Disappointed' Medha Patkar resigns from AAP

Mumbai, Mar. 28 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and social activist Medha Patkar on Saturday resigned from the party's primary membership and said that she does not have any regrets.

"I don't regret because it was a good experience," Patkar said.

She also said that the happenings in the party must have affected the people, who had faith in it.

"It must have affected them [the people]. I hope the people will speak out and it is not to wash the linens in public that we would like to resort to. We feel very hurt and disappointed but this was something that was being experienced time and again but person like me never came into public against the party because we always wished them well," she said.

Patkar further said nothing much could be expected from the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP in terms of the vision of alternative politics following today's decision.

"After today's climax, nothing much can be expected from this party in terms of the vision of alternative politics of ours. We wished them well for the Delhi masses and voters, we wished that they would carry out the task to which they had committed to in their manifesto but we also appeal to the conscience of all volunteers and supporters of the AAP that this is the time to really think of what is our vision of alternative politics," she said.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK : for detailed news.

EARTH HOUR : I am switching OFF. Are you ?????

with thanks : Earth Hour : WWF

East Delhi Jewellers Welfare Association's protest !

3 Years After Delhi Rape, Conviction Rates Same

With controversy continuing over the ban on India’s Daughter, a British documentary on the Delhi rape case of December 2012, what has not been discussed as much is the record of the justice system in prosecuting such cases.

Only one in four rape trials leads to conviction in India, according to the latest data tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The conviction rate for rape trials was 26.4%, 24.2% and 27.1% in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Among the reasons for low conviction rates, according to Majlis, a Mumbai-based legal advocacy, are: victims recanting statements, delays in registering a first information report, faulty investigation, indifferent prosecutors, inconsistencies and contradictions in witness statements, insensitive judges and gruelling cross-examination of even minor children by astute criminal (defence) lawyers.

India’s conviction rate is higher than developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, which recorded a conviction rate of 7% in 2011-12. The conviction rate as low as 10% in Sweden and 25% in France, according to Time magazine.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK : for detailed news.

10% hike in water tariff likely, rates in Dwarka to dip

NEW DELHI: After a temporary breather, Delhi may face a hike in water tariffs. In Delhi Jal Board's first meeting on Thursday, after the new AAP government took charge, a 10% hike is likely to be proposed. A final decision on implementing or deferring it will be taken in the meeting. 

During the previous Congress regime, a proposal was passed by the Board to implement a 10% increase in water tariffs on January 1 each year. This hike has only taken place twice. During the two election years it was deferred, while one year the hike did not take place as DJB was facing problems with its revenue system. 

The other major decision on the cards is the formal taking over of water supply to Dwarka from DDA. While the transfer has taken place, the Board meeting will formally allow the water tariff in Dwarka to be brought down to the rates charged elsewhere in Delhi. The sub-city has till now being paying more than double the rates to DDA even though water supply to the area has been woefully short. The relief to residents may be given from April 1. 

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

Start cleaning from tomorrow morning: Delhi HC to civic bodies

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed civic bodies to start cleaning the entire Lajpat Nagar here from Thursday morning and to maintain it that way as a "test" of their "efficiency and ability" to keep the national capital clean.  

A bench of justices B D Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said it wants to see if the civic bodies, including the municipal corporations, Delhi Jal Board, Public Works Department and DDA were "capable" of maintaining cleanliness in a model area "or else we will disband the corporations".

"We want to see your capacity... Start cleaning from tomorrow morning," the bench said. During the hearing, it had said "people have no civic sense and the corporations are not doing anything" to maintain cleanliness.

with thanks : Zee News : LINK : for detailed news.

Panel cracks whip on discoms: There should be no power cuts this summer !

The Delhi Dialogue Commission task force, which held a meeting with Power Minister Satyendra Jain on Monday, questioned the BSES discoms over their inability to get “full quota of 446 MW from Saasan Power Plants run by their sister concern Reliance Anil Ambani Group, which is running at 1000 MW instead of 3100 MW, installed capacity at present”.

Delhi government officials said it was decided that “BSES discoms should make all efforts to ensure that Saasan Power Plants run at its full load so that Delhi gets its full quota of cheaper power”.

The meeting was attended by the commission’s four-member task force, Jain, DDC vice-chairman Ashish Khetan, DDC member secretary Ashish Joshi and principal secretary (power) Shakuntala Gamlin. It was also decided that the “provisions of the PPA (power purchase agreement) be studied for penalising Saasan for not generating at its full available capacity”.

Putting in place a summer action plan, Jain insisted that discoms ensure that there are no power cuts during peak summer months this year. The discoms were asked to certify that they have made adequate arrangements to meet peak power demand in summer. 

The task force also asked the Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) to inform it about the work carried out for strengthening the transmission system and solutions for mitigating the crisis in Central Delhi. The task force sought the information as BSES Yamuna Power Limited had said all sub-stations supplying to Central Delhi are overloaded and cannot be augmented further. 

The task force has also asked discoms to inform it by March 25 about steps taken to mitigate the crisis resulting from defaulting on payments to power generating and transmitting companies. 

If due to a crisis, discoms had to resort to load-shedding, citizens should be informed in advance and no single area should have load-shedding for more than an hour, the DDC said.

with thanks : INDIAN EXPRESS : LINK