The Hindu : New Delhi News : We want to live decently: RWAs

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Wednesday, Sep 13, 2006
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We want to live decently: RWAs

Staff Reporter

`We have fallen prey to the designs of wily politicians'

NEW DELHI: An emergency meeting of several residents' welfare associations (RWAs) called on Tuesday to discuss the role of the Union Urban Development Ministry and the Delhi Government decided that all RWAs should immediately withdraw their representation seeking a role for allowing commercialisation and mixed land use in various colonies of the Capital.

"It is our considered opinion that RWAs who petitioned for a greater role in such actions clearly overstepped their mandate. It was a mistake and a serious error of judgement even if well intentioned. We have therefore concluded that the RWAs that had made representations for such a caveat must immediately withdraw their petitions and save the situation from turning ugly," said Sanjay Kaul, president of People's Action, after the meeting held at Chemsford Club.

Ashok Sethi of Greater Kailash RWA said the actions of a few RWAs who were too focused on their own situation in colonies has opened the Pandora's Box of conflicting demands from citizen groups. "It is very well to seek relief for yourself and push the others into the fire, but this sort of approach is not conducive to responsible citizenship," he added.

One of the victims of the latest RWA conflict, D.M. Narang of New Rajinder Nagar RWA, said at the meeting that they had no interest in replicating the role of the Government or civic agencies. "This is a problem they have to solve, not us. The only demand we have is the right to live peacefully in a decent environment."

"We have unfortunately fallen prey to the designs of wily politicians who have used us against each other. Today RWAs are fighting RWAs, residents are fighting each other instead of penalising this Government that was sleeping for so long," said R.C. Kamboj of the Rohini RWAs' Federation.

V.N. Bali of Ram Nagar RWA in East Delhi also challenged the MCD Standing Committee's recommendation on declaring roads for mixed land use. "If our colony has been provided a commercial complex for its own needs, why is the MCD declaring more areas commercial," he asked.

The RWAs feel that the MCD recommendations are an open invitation to residential colonies to convert to commercial areas merely by opening up more commercial establishments. "This is not planning but scam," said Pankaj Gupta, group coordinator for People's Action.

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