Friday, July 7, 2017

Water Logging - RWAs demand Inflatable boats for Low Lying Areas

Our letter has been forwarded by OSD CM to the Ministry of Home, Delhi Government. Let's see what happens, though we don't expect anything from our leaders. 

I was asked by one of my friend, that, Is it Sarcasm or we were serious? My answer was, it was both Sarcasm as well seriousness. On the one hand we wanted to give a clear message to the authorities, on the other hand, it may be helpful for those, in the Low lying areas.

Believe it or not, Delhi has just 15 dangerous buildings : TOI

NEW DELHI: Delhi has only 15 dangerous buildings. Yes, if the figures of the annual survey of structurally precarious buildings for 2017, released by the three civic bodies on Monday, are to be believed, there are just 10 unstable buildings in north Delhi, four in east Delhi and a single one under the south corporation's area.

This announcement is incredible, coming ironically just a day after two structure collapses, a four-storey building in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar and wall in south-west Delhi's Rajokri. The collapses immediately questioned the credibility of the system used by the capital's civic bodies in identifying and dealing with structurally unstable buildings. This annual exercise is conducted by the engineering departments of the corporations three months before the onset of monsoon. In this year's survey, over 4.2 lakh houses were inspected by the north body, 3.17 lakh by the east and over 8.2 lakh houses by the south corporation.



Of the 10 dangerous buildings reported by the north corporation, seven are in Sadar Paharganj zone, two in Karol Bagh and one in Old Delhi. East has reported two structures each in Shahdara North and South, though two of them are considered to be in reparable state. The south body found only one building beyond repair, in Vikaspuri. RWAs termed the findings as "bunkum". Chetan Sharma, chairman, Federation of GK-2 RWAs, tartly remarked, "These reports are created sitting in office." 

BS Vohra, president, East Delhi RWAs Joint Front, likewise insisted that the data couldn't be correct. "You cannot identify dangerous buildings by merely looking at them," he said. "We require technological up gradation and strict oversight."



Defending the findings of the survey, officials from the corporations said that the "junior engineers who carry out these exercises use 'visual survey' to identify such structures". As one explained, "In the field, if engineers see structures that are bent or show cracks, then they inspect the structure from the interior. The owner is then given a notice to have the building repaired. If he/she does not comply, we demolish the structure."



The question is whether that is adequate given so many lives are at risk. Requesting anonymity, some engineering department officials admitted that the current methodology of determining unstable buildings was obsolete.


with thankks : Times of India : LINK

RWAs divided on need for such committees : The Hindu

Residents unsure if meetings are held

From being political platforms for the ruling party to useful tools to raise local concerns, residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) are divided on the need for police station or thana-level committees.
With the Delhi government looking to revive the committees, which is chaired by the area MLA, residents say that the meetings of the thana-level committees have never been held regularly, if ever.

Police visits

“We haven’t had any thana or district-level committee meetings. However, once in a while police officers visit the area, particularly around festivals. When we had a spate of car thefts in the area recently, we told the police, but did not get the right reply,” said Chetan Sharma, the chairperson of the Federation of Greater Kailash-II RWAs and the secretary-general of the Confederation of NCR RWAs. He added that if the thana-level committee did exist, the “gap between what the public wants and what the police does” would be bridged. 
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front president B.S. Vohra said that there had been no meetings of any such committee that had been called by the MLAs in the past two years.

Genuine stakeholders

“Police officers hold meetings, but that is only once in six months or so. These thana committees can be beneficial only if the genuine stakeholders are called. There is a danger of the MLAs only including their own supporters, like in the mohalla sabhas,” said Mr. Vohra. 
In some areas, even when the committees were holding meetings, they weren’t regular or very useful, according to residents.

‘Political meeting’

Geeta Bhargava, the honorary general secretary of the Defence Colony RWA, said the last meeting of the thana-level committee, of which she was a member, that she attended was held about two years ago.
“We would be asked what our concerns were, but there was no result. It was more of a political meeting. We have a good rapport with the Station House Officer so we don’t really need the committee,” said Ms. Bhargava.

with thanks : The Hindu : LINK

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Water Logging - RWAs demand Inflatable boats for Low Lying Areas

I am asked by one of my friend that, Is it Sarcasm or are we serious? My answer is, it's both Sarcasm as well seriousness. On the one hand we want to give a clear message to the authorities, on the other hand, it may be helpful for those, in the Low lying areas.

आदरणीय CM साहिब,

पिछले सालों मे, जब आप कहते थे कि PWD ने दिल्ली के नालों की पूरी सफाई कर दी है, तब भी दिल्ली लगभग डूबने के कगार पर पहुँच जाती थी क्योंकि PWD और MCD मे कोई भी तालमेल नही होता है.

अब जबकि आप खुद ही बोल रहे हो कि PWD के अधिकारियों ने दिल्ली मे नालों की सफाई नही करवाई है, और उन सबको जेल भेज देना चाहिए, ऐसे मे यक़ीनन इस बार तो दिल्ली का भगवान ही मालिक है.




इसलिए हम आप से दरख़्वास्त करते हैं कि दिल्ली की लो लाइयिंग एरिया वाली सॅभी RWAs को तुरंत एक एक इनफ्लेटबल बोट दी जाए ताकि अपने इलाक़े की किसी भी एमर्जेन्सी मे इसका उपयोग किया जा सके. 




आपके जवाब की प्रतीक्षा मे, 
धनय्वाद सहित,

B S Vohra
President,
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front
Krishna Nagar, Delhi - 51

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

GST Impact: After Activa, Honda Gives Big Discount on Amaze, City, Breo, WR-V up to Rs 1.31 lakh

The company has also decreased prices of its car in luxury segments. WR-V's price has been slashed by Rs 10,064.









New Delhi, July 3: Days after Honda reduced the prices of its two-wheelers, the Japanese company has also given massive discounts on its cars sold in India. The company has announced a massive discount on Amaze, WR-V, City and Breo. The company has entered the list of car companies reducing prices of their products.
According to reports, Honda has reduced its price of hatchback Honda Brio by up to Rs 12,279. The prices of Amaze has been decreased by Rs 14,825. The prices of Jazz has been reduced by Rs 10,031.
The company has also decreased prices of its car in luxury segments. WR-V’s price has been slashed by Rs 10,064. Honda City’s prices have been reduced by Rs 16,510. BR-V’s price has been decreased by Rs 30,387. It has decreased the price of its premium SUV CR-V by Rs 1,31,663. Toyota had decreased the price of Fortuner by a whopping Rs 2 lakh. Maruti has also decreased the prices of all its cars by 3 per cent. Maruti Suzuki Baleno has a price drop of Rs 6600 to Rs 13100. There is a price drop of Rs 8100 to Rs 15100 for Maruti Suzuki Dezire.
The company Honda had on Sunday decreased the prices of its two-wheelers by Rs 2,500.
with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK

Monday, July 3, 2017

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia Busts Myths Pertaining to GST

Here's a list of myths busted by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia:

Myth: I need to generate all invoices on computer/internet only
Reality: Invoices can be generated manually also

Myth: I need internet all the time to do business under GST
Reality: Internet would be needed only while filing monthly return of GST

Myth: I have provisional ID but waiting for final ID to do business
Reality: Provisional ID will be your final GSTIN number. Start business

Myth: My item of trade was earlier exempt, so I will immediately need new registration before starting business now
Reality: You can continue doing business and get registered within 30 days

Myth: There are three returns per month to be filed
Reality: There is only one return with three parts, out of which first part filed by dealer and two other parts auto populated by computer

Myth: Even small dealers will have to file invoice wise details in the return
Reality: Those in retail business (B2C) need to file only summary of total sales

Myth: New GST rates are higher compared to earlier VAT
Reality: It appears higher because excise duty and other taxes, which were invisible earlier, are now subsumed in GST and so visible now.

With thanks : YahooNews : LINK

It’s a disaster in the making: 80% of structures ‘illegal’ - TOI


NEW DELHI: Just two months ago, TOI had highlighted how several buildings constructed in violation of norms at Lalita Park and other parts of east Delhi were posing a threat to the lives of residents. The east corporation had initiated a visual survey to identity decrepit buildings, but as the latest incident testified, the ground situation didn't change much.



"A multi-storeyed building, which was in a dilapidated condition, was demolished in the south zone after the visual survey," said Brajesh Singh, EDMC additional commissioner (finance). That said, no advisory or notice was issued following the survey even though 71 people were killed in a building collapse at Lalita Park as recently as 2010. TOI visited the area to find several buildings with visible cracks and concrete peeling off the walls.



Just 100 metres from the spot where tragedy had stuck seven years ago, this correspondent came across a five-storeyed building in utter disrepair. "In most of these buildings, owners don't reside. Poor migrant labourers, who do odd jobs for a living, stay on rent there. For their greed, the owners have put several lives at risk," said Sushil Kumar, secretary of Lalita Park RWA.


B S Vohra, president, East Delhi RWAs Joint Front, said additional floors had been added to many buildings. "Most houses, especially those close to the river bank, were constructed in violation of safety norms," he said. "The construction takes place under the watch of civic body officials and police. Why don't they take action?" Vohra asked.



An EDMC official said over 80% buildings had been constructed without building plan approval.



Standard building norms set by EDMC allow only first-floor construction on less than 32-yard plots, but most such buildings have more than three floors - the narrow base gives them a weak foundation. The civic body blames a huge shortage of staff in its building department for failure to act.




Bipin Bihari Singh, EDMC deputy mayor, said: "We will run a special campaign to inspect buildings. For the safety of the people, it is necessary that weak and dilapidated buildings are identified."


With thanks : Times of India : LINK : for more details.

EDMC - Property Tax ?

Sir,
this is with reference to Sh Balu ji's letter on the subject above. Our Society Navrachna Cooperative Group Housing Society was under category F upto 2015-16. In 2016-17 arbitratoly it has been upgraded to C. I want to Know on what ground The MCD has upgraded it to C. As we are handling everything ourselves except Cleaness outside the Society MCD has no right to charge extra by on paper upgrading it to C. All the appartment in East Arjun Nagar may be reviewed and proper classification may be given. 
Chander Mohan  
Navrachna Appartment 
east arjun nagar delhi-110032

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Monsoon & the De-silting ? Be prepared for massive water logging again !

Monsoon has come and i don't think that desilting has been done anywhere in a proper manner. I myself checked the drain besides road number 57, a few days ago, and at the Krishna nagar - Vishwas nagar intersection, situation looked very grim as the drain looked filled with all kind of rubbish. 


If such is the situation while monsoon has already touched Delhi, please be assured that we will have to face severe crisis due to the massive water logging everywhere. Why authorities continuously fail in doing their duty is truly a serious cause of concern.





















Krishna nagar is a Low Lying area and faces the severe water logging every year. Earlier pumps were used to flush out the water but since last over 5 years, MCD is no more deploying pumps at Vaishay Dharamshala spot. I would like to ask the authorities i.e. both MCD as well PWD, to confirm, if enough has been done to save the entire area i.e. Krishna nagar, Lal quarter, Geeta colony etc., from the severe water logging ?

If you are facing any such situation, anywhere in Delhi / NCR, please feel free to share the details with us for uploading on the RWABhagidari Blog, for knocking the doors of the authorities.