Signal woes? Building bylaws bar mobile towers in residential areas

NEW DELHI: The new unified building bylaws that may make it easier to obtain permits could worsen signal problems for mobile phone users.

The new bylaws say there should be no mobile phone towers in residential areas.

This has led to confusion among the municipal corporations as almost 80% of such towers are believed to be in residential areas.

“No signage/communication tower and advertisement is to be provided in residential buildings,” the bylaws state.

Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu released the new unified building bylaws for Delhi on Tuesday. Apart from simplifying procedures, these have reduced public-official interaction to reduce corruption.

“Going by the new bylaws, there should be no mobile towers in residential areas. Considering that only 20% of the total mobile towers fall in non-residential areas, this may lead to cellular problems,” said a high-ranking municipal official. Officials said they would either wait for an order from the high court in an ongoing case or approach the Centre for clarification.

Mobile phone operators approached the high court in 2010 after the corporation changed its policy regarding the establishment of such towers. The case is still pending. “A lot of things have to be kept in mind while implementing the bylaws. They might require certain modifications so that the public is not hassled,” said Ashish Sood, leader of the house, South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Technical experts say call drops occur due to an increase in the number of dead zones. These zones are a result of either fewer mobile towers in range or due to hindrance in the signal. Towers have a range of 5 km . You lose signal when you are either out of range or in a ‘dead zone’.

The three municipal corporations say the total number of mobile towers under their jurisdiction is 7,926.

Officials, however, argue that the total number of unauthorised towers are more than half of that.

“The total number of mobile towers before trifurcation was 5,252. However, the number has increased exponentially in the past three years near residential areas,” said a municipal official.

Officials argue that while most new towers violate building bylaws, for others, the corporation has not been paid.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : Dated 3rd April, 2016

Pace of development slow during L-G rule: CAG

NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report on Delhi’s finances for 2014-15 rapped the city government for non-utilisation of funds and asked them to prepare realistic budget estimates to avoid large savings.

The report is of the period when the lieutenant-governor was the administrative head of the Capital through President’s rule. The Aam Aadmi Party came to power only in the end of the period in February 2015.

The public finance watchdog pointed out that the Delhi government did not use ` 6,093 crore as it did not prepare the budget after adequately scrutinising projects and schemes.

The CAG report said a ` 3,942crore fiscal deficit in 2013-14 turned to a surplus of ` 218 crore in the year ending March 2015 largely because of slow progress of schemes, non-filling of vacant posts and non-implementation of schemes. A government’s fiscal deficit is the difference between its total expenditure and total revenue.

The entire provisions of ` 265 crore under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Scheduled Caste Sub-Plans remained unutilised, it said.

The report also pointed out that substantial surrenders involving ` 997 crore were made which can be attributed to slow progress of work, release of less grant or loan and non-implementation of schemes.

“The government may consider taking up the matter with Public Account Committee Secretariat for regularisation of excess expenditure,” the report recommended. ‘AVOID LAST-MINUTE RUSH OF EXPENSES’ The CAG also criticised the government’s rush of expenditure towards the end of the financial year. “Rule 56 of the General Financial Rules provides that rush of expenditure particularly in the closing months of the financial year is regarded as a breach of financial propriety and should be avoided,” it said.

It pointed out that, in contradiction, the government’s expenses in March 2015 and the last quarter of the financial year 2014-15 under the 20 subheads ranged between 54 % and 100% of the total expenditure.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : Dated 1st April, 2016

Rules for change in power load made consumer-friendly

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s power distribution companies will no longer be able to enhance the sanctioned load of consumers on the basis of three highest meter readings. Now they have to calculate it on the basis of average of four consecutive months.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Friday amended the DERC Supply Code and Performance Standards Regulations in order to check arbitrary and suo-moto enhancement of sanctioned load by power discoms.

The discoms fix a sanctioned load to every household as per its average power consumption every month. They increase the load if the average usage is more than the sanctioned load, which is reflected in the monthly billing cycle.

The revision often leads to complaints. The issue was also raised by some AAP MLAs in the recently-concluded budget session of Delhi Assembly. The members alleged that the discoms revise sanctioned load arbitrarily.

“Therefore, in public interThe discoms will take the highest of average of maximum demand readings recorded as per billing cycle, covering any four consecutive calendar months in the previous financial year Average readings will be rounded off on the lower side For domestic consumers having sanctioned load up to est, the Delhi government issued policy direction to the DERC under section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2013 for amendment of the provisions pertaining to revision of sanctioned load based upon maximum demand readings for domestic consumers,” a government statement said.

The step will provide relief to the electricity consumers in Delhi and public grievances on this account will be eliminated, officials said.

“The discoms now will take the highest of average of maximum demand readings recorded according to the billing cycle, covering 5kW in the last billing cycle of previous financial year, if the computed load is less than the sanctioned load, the load will be reduced automatically Officials say the move will reduce complaints regarding ‘arbitrary’ change in sanctioned load by power distribution companies any four consecutive months in the previous financial year. Then such average will be rounded off on the lower side. Earlier, average of any three highest maximum demand readings was done. This was not consumer friendly,” a power department official said.

This is the second good for Delhiites regarding their power bills. The government in its budget, presented earlier this week, has announced to continue the 50% subsidy for people who consume up to 400 power units. The allocation for subsidy this year has also been increased to ` 1,600 crore from last year’s ` 1,427 crore.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : Dated 2nd April, 2016

Centre announces new building byelaws for Delhi

The Centre has announced unified building bye-laws for Delhi with an aim to create an integrated single window mechanism for online approval of building plans.

These bye-laws, which have been revised after a gap of 33 years, were announced by the Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu here on Wednesday.

"The new laws have been made user friendly through unification and simplification of a host of amendments made over the last three decades and integration of approvals by different agencies into a single platform," Naidu told reporters.

Applicants can submit one single online application to concerned urban local body instead of approaching various agencies. They can now also make a single payment to the concerned urban local body electronically, instead of making required payments to various agencies separately.

Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change has now concurred to integrate approvals by agreeing to empower urban local bodies to accord environmental clearance for built-up area up to 1,50,000 sq m as against the present norm of obtaining EC from State Environment Assessment Authorities under  that Ministry for built-up area of 20,000 sq m and above up to 1,50,000 sq m, an official statement said.

Moreover, for residential plots of size up to 105 sq m in Delhi, the plot owner need not obtain sanction of building plans. He will only be required to submit an undertaking intimating about construction along with requisite fees and other documents to start construction.

The number of documents to be submitted for obtaining building permits has been reduced from 40 to just 14 and the maximum time limit for granting building permit has been reduced from 60 days to just 30 days to enhance the ease doing business, it added.

Owners of plots of more than 3,000 sq. m area shall construct public washroom complexes with access from outside, in addition to other mandatory sanitary requirements.

with thanks : The Hindu : LINK

Supreme Court approves Centre's guidelines to protect Good Samaritans

The Supreme Court has approved the Centre's guidelines to protect Good Samaritans, who help road accident victims, from being unnecessarily harassed by police or any other authority. They (good Samaritans) will also be exempted from any criminal and civil liability. A bench comprising justices V Gopala Gowda and Arun Mishra has asked the Central government to give wide publicity to these guidelines.  The bench also took on record the guidelines placed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, based on the recommendations of the three-member committee headed by former judge K S Radhakrishnan.  The 2014 committee had given 12 major recommendations including setting up of State Road Safety Councils, evolving a protocol for identification of black spots, their removal and monitoring to see the effectiveness of the action taken and strengthening of enforcement relating to drunken driving, over-speeding, red light jumping and helmet or seat belt laws. With the court’s approval, the government guidelines are law of the land today and binding to all states. A bystander, including an eyewitness to a road mishap, shall be allowed to leave immediately after taking the injured to the nearest hospital without furnishing his address. Police cannot compel people to reveal their identity even if they are the informers or complainants in the case. The person can give his or her name voluntarily. All registered public and private hospitals will not detain a Good Samaritan or demand payment for registration and admission costs. No police official shall ask him any questions and he would be later given a choice to record his statement before the court through video conferencing. Departmental or disciplinary action shall be initiated against the officer who coerces or intimidates the informer. If the witness volunteers to go before the court to depose in the case, the trial judge shall complete his examination in one sitting. More than 4 lakh road accidents occurred in 2014. The number of deaths also increased from 1.37 lakh in 2013 to 1.39 lakh in 2014. As per National Crime Records Bureau report, in the last decade, over 12 lakh people have lost their lives and 55 lakh seriously injured or permanently disabled

Best regards,

Editorial (Dr SS Agarwal, Dr K K Aggarwal)

Sent by : Mr Vinay Kapoor.

सुनिये वित मंत्री जी : Delhi Budget : Delhi Aajtak : B S Vohra

Happy Holi to all of you !

With Best regards,

B S Vohra,
Social Activist, President,
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front - Federation,
www.RWABhagidari.com

Our Salute to the Great Martyrs !

They were the great martyrs, who were hanged to death as they fought for the freedom of our mother land. Strange are the ways of our present time politicians, who compare these martyrs with any short term player, who want to gain publicity by whatever way possible. Strange are the ways of our present time politicians, who for their own benefit, are boosting such characters, beyond any limits.

PPAC gone : HT

with thanks : Hindustan Times

Support Earth Hour - Save Electricity - Go Solar !

B S Vohra
www.RWABhagidari.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.in

क्यों हम लोग खुशी मे पिछड़ते जा रहे हैं ?

हैरानगी हुई कि खुशी के मामले मे भारत अपने पिछले पायदान से गिर कर 118वें नंबर पे पहुँच गया. और तो और हमारे सारे पड़ोसी, खुशी के मामले मे हमारे से ऊपर नज़र आए. तो क्या कारण है कि सब कुछ होने के बाद भी, हम लोग खुशी के मामले मे नीचे जा रहे है ?

कहीं इसका कारण हरयाणा के रिज़र्वेशन के दंगे तो नही जिसमे 34,000 करोड़ का स्वाहा हो गया. जिसमे मुर्थल मे, महिलाओं को कारों से निकाल कर बलात्कार किए गए. 

या फिर इसका कारण JNU के वो नारे तो नहीं जिन्होने सारे भारत को हिला कर रख दिया. एक बारगी तो विश्वास ही नही हो सका कि कैसे, अपने ही देश के लोग, अपने ही बच्चे, अपने ही देश की बर्बादी के नारे लगा सकते हैं.

कहीं इसका कारण यह तो नही कि वो लोग जो इस देश मे रहते हैं, बड़े ओहदों तक भी पहुँचते हैं, लेकिन भारत माता की जय कहने मे हिचकिचाते हैं और इसको एक बहेस का मुद्दा बना देते हैं. 

या फिर इसका कारण यह भी हो सकता है कि दुनिया भर मे पेट्रोल के दाम घटने के बाद भी, क्यों हमारे देश मे पेट्रोल, डीजल, के दाम बड़ जाते हैं.

सभी जानते हैं की जब चिदंबरम साहिब ने दिल्ली मे MTNL पर 2% का सर्विस टॅक्स लगाया था, तो किसी को यह खबर नही थी कि कुछ ही सालों के बाद वो लगभग हर ज़रूरी चीज़ पे 15% की दर तक पहुँच जाएगा. शायद यही डर देश के सुनारों को भी सता रहा है जिनपर 1% की एक्साइस ड्यूटी थोप दी गई है. 

शायद दालों के बड़ते दाम, प्रॉपर्टी के घटते दाम, बे -मौसम की बरसातें,  किसानो की ख़ुदकुशी, नेताओं की बे फ़िजूल की बहसे, देश का एक अच्छा ग्रोथ रेट दिखाने के बाद भी, देश की खुशी का कारण नही बन सका है और शायद इसी कारण हम लोग खुशी मे पिछड़ते जा रहे हैं. इसके कारण ढूँदने निकलेंगे तो यकीन मानिए, जाने कितने पेज काले हो जाएँगे. लेकिन अब देखना तो यह है कि क्या उसके बाद भी, हम लोग, सच मे, खुश रहने के कारण को ढूंड पाएँगे ?  

Please share your views on the issue as March 20th is the International Day of Happiness. Thanks. B S Vohra