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In its appeal to the police, the ALARWA had stated that on January 31, Gehlot and his relatives had abused and threated a group of 50 residents on the issue of an access road leading from NH-8 to the Ambience Lagoon Apartments.

Residents said since Gurgaon police officials, including the police commissioner, had refused to file an FIR against the developer, they were left with no other option.

However, Raj Singh Gehlot, who developed Ambience Island complex refuted allegations that he or his relatives had threatened any resident.

Gehlot said a group of residents who had vested interests were deliberately flaring up the issue.

He said they wanted to defame him and spoil the image of his company, which was floating a public issue of Rs 1,300 crore soon.

On the sidelines of the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change, Gurgaon was "the news" for NPR, the largest and most popular radio station in the USA.

MIssion Gurgaon Development members -- Major Gen Satbir Singh, Bhawani Shankar Tripathy, Col Oberoi, and Prabhat Aggarwal -- were interviewed, and featured in the company of nobel-laureate RK Pachauri and Environment Minister Ramesh Jairam.

Hear RK Pachauri contend only the "public" can bring change. At Mission Gurgaon Development, a people's movement, that is our driving force --- together we can do it!  

Please listen to the audio recording attached.

Source: www.npr.org Gurgaon on global climate change map: MGD members interviewed by US's largest radio station NPR21/Dec/2009

The residents also submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, to be forwarded to the chief minister, urging the state government to take all legislative and administrative actions to make Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon a fully-empowered agency.

"The elected municipal corporation must be fully empowered and it should have financial autonomy under the district-level local government mandated as per the 73rd & 74th Amendment to the Constitution. The corporation has not been able to deliver the goods it promised, even after more than a year of its inception. The state government has not even transferred all the roads to the corporation for their upkeep and maintenance," said R S Rathee, RWA president of Qutub Enclave and MGD member.

Demonstrators said that when the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon was set up in June last year, residents were promised that it would change the face of the city but so far it has not been able to deliver the goods. "Municipal corporation forms an important part of local government in India. According to the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, the corporation is bound by obligation to make adequate provisions for water supply for public and private purposes, removal of filth, construction and regulation of municipal markets and their regulation, planting and care of trees on roadsides and maintenance of parks. However, neither deliberative power nor executive power is being exercised by the corporation," rued general (retd) Satbir Singh, another member of MGD.

Demonstrators also demanded that the residents should be allowed to have a direct say in the decision-making process concerning their area development by becoming a part of the deliberative wing, through direct election as councillor or as nominated member.

Will this be the largest voter registration scam in Gurgaon, and India? And did it directly influence the wins and losses of the candidates from Gurgaon constituency in the recently concluded assembly elections in Haryana?

This was a question two civil society organizations – Matadata Jagrookta Manach and Mission Gurgaon Development – had been constantly asking for many months before the elections, especially when genuine voters from Gurgaon did not find their names in the voters’ lists and the administration did not take action on complaints.

But now it seems even major political parties are convinced that the voters’ list has probably been manipulated. Dharambir Gaba from the Indian National Congress and Umesh Aggarwal from the Bharatiya Janata Party joined hands with civil society to find out the truth.

Both candidates were in the election fray in the current elections. Gaba had lost by a small margin of only about 2,000 votes from the winning independent candidate, which had come as a surprise to many political pundits who had predicted sure win for Congress from both constituencies in Gurgaon. BJP had got the third place.

The team carried out a ground survey, checking against the latest updated voters list made public by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) in Gurgaon.

Source: Mission Gurgaon Development 17, November, 2009

On November 21, Saturday, hundreds of citizens in Gurgaon will hold a 4-km long peace march under the banner of Rajiv Gandhi Andolan to press for their constitutional right to vote and have an empowered municipality.

The peace march is being led by Mission Gurgaon Development, a people’s movement, and will include participants from all sections of the society across Gurgaon.

Carrying placards and banners, residents will march simultaneously from two different points in Gurgaon. One group will start marching from the Masjid in Sadar Bazar on Old Railway Road. The second group will start its march from the gates of Tau Devilal Stadium on Sohna Road.

Both groups will culminate at the Deputy Commissioner’s residence where they will present him a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister calling his attention to the citizens’ demands for error-free 100 percent voter registration and an empowered municipal corporation.

Many industries in Gurgaon, corporate houses, NGOs, and professional bodies like lawyers associations, and youth associations have committed support to the march and will participate with the residents.

Representatives of a number of political parties in Gurgaon will also join the march.

Gurgaon residents have lately been denied to vote both in the recently concluded assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls held in April despite holding valid voters cards. Owing to errors made by the electoral staff – some claim it was deliberately done – the residents’ names did not appear in the voters lists, and they were turned back from the polling booths.

Source: Mission Gurgaon Development 06/Nov/2009

The Photo Electoral Roll of Haryana has finally been uploaded by the Chief  Electoral Officer of Haryana on its website today at 4 pm. Kindly check for your names in the following link. (Copy and paste on your web browser if it does not link)

http://ceoharyana.nic.in/photo-ER/PC09-GGN/pc009.pdf
The voters list is a PDF file, and in Hindi. Click on your constituency (Badshahpur/Gurgaon), scroll and locate your polling booth, click on the statement which indicates area and house numbers. Once you have opened the designated page, you can do a search for your house number.

Note: This list was supposed to be put out on Sept 10. But the list was uploaded today ONLY after members of Mission Gurgaon Development had met Election Commissioner SY Qureshi yesterday evening and apprised him of the delay and discrepancies in the voters list. Mr Anurag Aggarwal, the new DC was also called to that meeting in Delhi. He was "ordered" by Qureshi to upload the list on priority.

Thanks to Col Oberoi, and Maj Gen Satbir Singh who, on behalf of Mission Gurgaon development, spearheaded the entire effort so that Gurgaon's residence can democratically participate in exercising their franchise. In this effort, Mission Gurgaon Development was supported by an NGO in Gurgaon called Matdata Jaagrookta Manch (MJM). Representatives of  MJM were also present at yesterday's meeting. Thanks to them for their unconditional support to Mission Gurgaon Development.  

Please also note that if you see your names missing from the list, the last date for filing any objections is tomorrow, September 18!!!!

Mission Gurgaon Development is pursuing with the CEO/DC to allow at least one week for public to respond with their complaints, objections, etc.

For any further info, you may please contact:

Maj Gen Satbir Singh (9312404269) satbirsm@yahoo.com

Col S.S. Oberoi  (9818768349) manioberoi@gmail.com

The initial voter roll  put up for entire Haryana State was as on 22.1.2009 which was correct except that revusion took place in AC 76 and AC 77 on 3.9.2009. THis was got corrected by us and the correct list was put up yesterday - there is still some confusion as the site shows old figures at one place and new figures inside the new list as follows:
AC 76 Old 174906 in 159 parts
AC 77 Old 159421 in 151 parts

http://ceoharyana.nic.in/photo-ER/PC09-GGN/actitle76.pdf
AC 76 New 224027 in 225 parts (Some of these are marked DELETED)

http://ceoharyana.nic.in/photo-ER/PC09-GGN/actitle77.pdf
AC 77 New 227714 in 169 parts (Some of these are marked DELETED)

From within the two attached files it is possible to click your section - Part (eg Part 42 in AC 77 PDF file for Sector 23) and open your voter roll in PDF.

Source: Mission Gurgaon Development 17/Sep/2009

Led by Mission Gurgaon Development, scores of residents from all classes of society launched the Rajiv Gandhi Andolan with a token demonstration at the Mini Secretariat today.

Representatives of Mission Gurgaon presented the City Magistrate a memorandum for the Chief Minister on the issue, as the new DC Mr Anurag Agarwal was away for an election meeting.

Although municipal corporations across the country are criticized for their performance, Gurgaon residents are demanding a municipal corporation, but one which is fully-empowered as per the 74th Constitutional Amendment.

"Gurgaon is like a child divided between many fathers: HUDA sectors are developed by the Haryana Urban Development Authority, the old city is managed by the municipal corporation, and the developer colonies like DLFs are managed by the Town and Country Planning Department."

"The Haryana government has denied its citizens their right to effectively participate in local governance, which is a clear violation of the Constitutional Right of the citizens," said Maj Gen Satbir Singh, a core member of Mission Gurgaon Development.

The 74th Constitutional Amendment of 1992 grants the municipal corporation with 18 administrative powers. The subsequent Moiley Report on urban local governance grants an additional 5 powers. A municipal corporation which has been given all 23 powers thus becomes fully competent to carry out all development needs of a city.

Explaining why the protest is called Rajiv Gandhi Andolan, Col S Oberoi said: "Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi dreamt of empowering urban local bodies in which citizens can participate in the development of the city; he wanted to give power to the people. This is a protest for people's rights."

Col Oberoi has researched extensively on local governance and decentralization.

"Even though the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were ultimately passed in 1992, local politicians have deliberately created barriers that have prevented Rajiv Gandhi's dream from coming true," Col Oberoi.added.

"The lack of response from the Chief Minister's office has forced us to adopt strong measures. This is a token protest, but our future protests will be more intense," added Gen Satbir Singh.

For more information, please contact:

1.      Maj Gen Satbir Singh (9312404269) satbirsm@yahoo.com
   
2.      Col S.S. Oberoi  (9818768349) manioberoi@gmail.com

The time has come to prove it that the residents of Gurgaon are serious about development.

On May 31, 2009, Mission Gurgaon Development passed a resolution that residents of Gurgaon need one single development agency in Gurgaon - a fully empowered Municipal Corporation as per the 74th Amendment to the Constitution. This is OUR Constitutional Right for effective local governance.

We told the government: "if you don't grant us an empowered MCG by September 15, residents will be forced to take to the streets."

The Haryana government has decide to test whether Gurgaon residents can keep their threat.

Will we pass this test?

On September 16th, at 11 am, Mission Gurgaon Development is leading a peaceful protest at the Mini Secretariat, in front of the DC's office, to demand for a fully empowered Municipal Corporation. Members of Mission Gurgaon Development will hand over a Memorandum for the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner on this issue.

Please join us at this protest. Save Gurgaon! Your yes today can make a difference to Gurgaon.

Kindly forward to all your frinds and relations in Gurgaon and urge them to participate in the protest.MCG as per 74th amendment. Nothing less.

It's now or never! Together we can do it!

Hoping to see you and your friends.

For more information, please contact any of these Core Committee members of Mission Gurgaon Development:
a.       R.S. Rathee (9810110426) dlfrwa@gmail.com
b.       Dharam Sagar (9810748945)  info@demmauto.com
c.       Maj Gen Satbir Singh (9312404269) satbirsm@yahoo.com
d.       Col S.S. Oberoi  (9818768349) manioberoi@gmail.com
e.       Ms Vakul Cowshik (9990095073) vakul_c@hotmail.com
f.        Ms Shammi Ahlawat (9818008374) shammi.ahlawat@yahoo.in

As Gurgaon's roads continue to remain drowned with just two days of rainfall, residents are accusing the Haryana government of showing complete disregard to managing water in the city.

Mission Gurgaon Development, a people's movement, has alleged that the government has knowingly ignored the pleas of the residents to act on water management on priority.

In the last two days of rain, life has come to a standstill in Gurgaon, with every road waterlogged. Since there are no storm water drains, there is no outlet for the rain water.

According to Major Gen Satbir Singh, "Gurgaon's topography always had a large number of natural drainage which allowed excess water to flow out during monsoons. This kept the city safe. But now large-scale encroachments and unplanned growth have destroyed these natural drainage systems, forcing rainwater to get collected."

"Gurgaon has been allowed to become a concrete jungle, without any planning - in summers, people cry for water; during monsoons when there is water it is allowed to go waste," added Gen Satbir Singh.

Source: Mission Gurgaon Development11/Sep/2009

1st September 2009

Subject: RAJIV GANDHI ANDOLAN

Dear Sir,

1. On 3rd June 2009 the Citizens of Gurgaon in Haryana had placed a charter of demands before you, as our Chief Minister, at the meeting held at Gurgaon on 31st May 2009. (Copy enclosed). One among many other requests was to give the Twelfth Schedule Powers (and additional 5 powers) to Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon by 15 September 2009. There has been no response whatsoever from the Government side and we have no reason to expect even a remote chance of acceptance of this request by 15 September 2009 given that Municipal Corporation Faridabad constituted in 1992 received, only on paper, 12 of 18 functions listed under the Schedule XII of 74th CAA, but even these are not actually devolved in true sense as they are not backed by operational procedures under the HMCA 1994, or even essential financial support from State government. Other functions like town planning, urban forestry, and urban poverty alleviation are yet to be devolved even on paper.

Having received no communication from the State Government even after lapse of 3 months, and considering the fate of effectively zero devolution of powers to Municipal Corporation of Faridabad in last 15 years, Mission Gurgaon Development has resolved that a peaceful ANDOLAN shall be continued till completion of each and every enabling State legislation for true devolution of powers to ULBs and PRIs under 73rd and 74th CAA to honor the memory of Late Sarvshri Rajiv Gandhi, the first meeting of which  shall be at 11 AM on 16th September 2009 by the citizens of Gurgaon outside Mini-Secretariat, Gurgaon.

Click On This Link To Read "Complete Letter To The CM Haryana 1st September 2009" In MS-word Format RAJIV GANDHI ANDOLAN

Click On This Link to Read "Gurgaon Unified Residents Movement (GURM)Major Demands " in MS-word Format Constitution Amendment Act - Local Governance in Gurgaon

Click On This Link To Read "WHAT IS TO BE DONE?" In MS-word Format

 On August 19, 2009, at 7:00 am, on a residential road of sector 23-A, a Gurgaon Police PCR (No 25) stopped two elderly ladies on their morning walk. The driver of the PCR van advised the women not to wear the gold chain they had around their neck, but to leave it at home whenever they went out.

"There are chain snatchers on motorcycles moving around. They will not only snatch away the chain but also may hurt you. To avoid giving a chance to chain snatchers, women should not wear any jewellery," advised the PCR driver to the two women.

In a letter to the Police Commissioner, Mission Gurgaon members have wanted to know where Gurgaon stands in matters of safety and security in Gurgaon. They have also demanded to know about the status of the various promises made to the residents since the last many years on issues of staffing, number of police stations, surveillance, etc.

"While we know the PCR driver's advice was well-intended, it also implies that Gurgaon Police has clearly failed to instill a sense of security among residents," said RS Rathee, a core committee member.

"When the commissionerate system was introduced in Gurgaon about two years ago it was claimed by the government that the quality and effectiveness of policing in Gurgaon will substantially improve, the state authority will be enforced, and crime will be substantially reduced. The status however seems to have worsened," added Rathee.

It was also stated that the policing structure would be improved to match the existing structure in Delhi in terms of manpower, selection, weaponry, training, equipment, communications and cyber crime prevention. Delhi has authorized one policeman for every 250 persons, whereas in Gurgaon it is one constable for every 400 persons. With a population of approximately 20 lakh, Gurgaon should have close to 10,000 constables and more than 500 PCRs to cover the entire area of jurisdiction.

"We have fallen short on all these fronts. No action has been taken by the government," informed Rathee.

According to Maj Gen Satbir Singh, security expert and core committee member of Mission Gurgaon Development, Gurgaon needs over 20 fully operational police stations, appropriately staffed and self-sufficient in all respects of security. Some of the police chowkis, such as the one at Palam Vihar, have been upgraded to the status of police stations but they have not been staffed as per the population of the jurisdiction.

Source: Mission Gurgaon Development August 21, 2009

Mission Gurgaon Development has raised objections to the manner in which the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has divided the city into three zones.

MCG recently divided Gurgaon city into zones 1, 2 and 3. It expects to collect about Rs 150 crore of tax revenue each year from the three zones together, as announced by the municipal commissioners from time to time.

However, according to Mission Gurgaon the current zoning done by the MCG will lead to unequal development of the city.

"There is wide difference in the amount of tax revenue that will be generated from each zone," said Mr RS Rathee, core committee member of Mission Gurgaon.

"One zone will generate to the tune of Rs 90 crore per year, while another will generate as little as Rs 25 crore. Since infrastructure development will directly depend on amount of revenue collected and invested, the zone that generates less revenue will always have less development," added Mr Rathee.

Rathee was speaking at a press conference called by Mission Gurgaon at its new office on New Railway Road.

Mission Gurgaon has written to the Municipal Corporation, with a copy to the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary to the Government of Haryana, Urban Local Bodies Department, Chandigarh, proposing a new zoning structure to ensure equitable and integrated development of the city.

"We have simplified and proposed new zoning with a mix of commercial, industrial and residential units, so that the potential for revenue collection is increased as well as balanced," added Mr Rathee.

"In addition, we demand the MCG to work in a more transparent manner. MCG should have discussed its zoning plans with the citizens before notifying the zones," said Mr Dharam Sagar, another core committee member of Mission Gurgaon Development.

"MCG must justify on what basis it has divided the city into the three zones. Is it on the basis of population density, area, demographics, or revenue potential?" asked Mr Dharam Sagar.

"The way this should have been done is through a public forum, where MCG should make a presentation. MCG must then invite public opinion before making such a crucial decision," added Maj General Satbir Singh.

"Our aim at Mission Gurgaon is to ensure that Gurgaon has equitable and integrated development, and the city administrators are transparent in their dealings with the citizens of Gurgaon," added Satbir Singh.

For more information, please contact any of these Core Committee members of Mission Gurgaon Development:

1.       R.S. Rathee (9810110426) dlfrwa@gmail.com
   
2.       Dharam Sagar (9810748945)  info@demmauto.com
   
3.       Maj Gen Satbir Singh (9312404269) satbirsm@yahoo.com
   
4.       Col S.S. Oberoi  (9818768349) manioberoi@gmail.com

According to residents, the builder had given commitment for maintenance to residents but even after taking the money in advance there was no maintenance. This colony is only three years old and as per rules, the builder has to take care of all things for a minimum of five years.

Col Ratan Singh, chairman of JAFRA and GURM and VK Srivastava, vice president JAFRA, Col Man Singh, vice president, JAFRA, AK  Asthana, industrial association president, gave their commitment for sorting out the issue.

The problems of generator and HVPN power supply, poor road condition in front of M2K, Mayfield, Malibu Towne, and Today's Villas were discussed in the meeting. The residents also highlighted the issue of sewage water flooding all over the road in residential area.

"There is no safety on Sohna Road. As there are so many residential colonies and apartments, we have asked the police department to increase patrolling. We want that water being supplied by the builder must be checked from a government-authorised laboratory," said one of the residents.

A resident of Rosewood City said, "During rainy season, it becomes difficult to drive during night because the Rosewood City road gets flooded. In fact, cars often get stuck there while trying to go across. It is only because of the ugly and miserable condition of the road that police control room car do not attempt to do patrolling".

There has been no rules/ways to take care of financial status of the society. Please let me know what are the laws and regulations that are binding on a Housing Society and how can I ensure that the proper procedure is followed.

Thanks.

Only recently, representatives of the Joint Action Forum of RWAs (JAFRA), Federation of All Residents Welfare Association (FORWA), Sanyukt Kalyan Parishad, Federation Senior Citizen Welfare Association (FSCWA), Gurgaon Citizens Council, Citizens Alliance and various other such bodies had decided to join hands and push for the city's development.

Said Col Rattan Singh, core committee member of GURM, ``Besides highlighting issues which are blocking development, we have vowed to start a concerted and coordinated campaign to bring a new dawn in the city.''

R S Rathee, president of QERWA, a citizen council in DLF, said, ``Now we have realized that a unified movement is required to push for development as the situation is getting worse by the day.''

Dharam Sagar, a member of core committee of GURM, said that RWAs have also decided to build an effective and positive media strategy and carry out agitation through demonstrations, no-confidence rallies, hunger strikes and other democratic means of protest.

``We will intensify the campaign gradually till all our objectives are achieved and we're starting it by pushing for a subway at the Hero Honda Chowk on Delhi-Gurgaon expressway,'' resolved Col Pratap Singh.

A detailed operational structure has been chalked out. Among the issues that will be highlighted are roads, drainage, construction of underpass on Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, water, power, sewerage, solid waste, green cover for the city, transport, healthcare, education and encroachment.

The decision was taken in an executive committee meeting of JAFRA, a federation of RWAs in Gurgaon on Sunday. Federation chairman Colonel Rattan Singh said, "The condition of the city is terrible. While Gurgaon takes pride in being called Millennium City, it's marred by infrastructural imbalances. Condition of roads, electricity and water supply is pathetic. But we are going to shout loudly to put our demands."

"We have been complaining how life in Gurgaon is deteriorating and each time they only make empty promises," said DLF City RWA president Sudhir Kapoor.

Despite Nimerous attempts by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam (DHBVN) to improve the system, the electricity woes of the residents of the city have not been reduced.

Relief for consumers of Gurgaon still seems a distant dream. R. P . Nadar, who looks after electricity related problems of Sector 17-A, said, "Different types of problems have emerged in the past few years in the colony He added that as the president of the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) Sector 17A, he had written to the electricity department many times, apprising them of the problems of frequent short circuits due to which the overhead hanging electric wires often caught fire, but no action was ever taken.

Cables hanging loosely due to illegal connections

• There is frequent power fluctuation due to heavy load on the transformers.

• The branches of trees, which have not been trimmed, obstruct electric wires, which are already weak. this causes friction

Rao Inderjeet Singh, the minister of state for defence production who is an MP from the Mahendragarh constituency of which Gurgaon is a part, said the suburb requires an apex development agency on the lines of Noida.

"I spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and conveyed to him the concern of a large section of society in Gurgaon who have raised the demand for the formation of the Gurgaon Development Authority (GDA).

"He has ordered the setting up of a committee comprising former state chief secretaries MC Gupta and Prem Prashant. The committee has to decide whether or not Gurgaon requires the GDA when the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) is already there," Singh told IANS.

Singh said the proposed GDA could work as an apex body under which other agencies like MCG will function. "GDA could oversee the entire planning and development of the city as a supreme entity while other sub-agencies carry on the execution and implementation of decisions."

Gupta said: "We will put up our report on it by the end of June."

The Haryana government this month set up the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon, bringing almost the entire township under its jurisdiction. However, a huge number of people, especially from privately developed colonies such as DLF City and Sushant are apprehensive about the success of the MCG. They are demanding the formation of the GDA.

Sudhir Kapur, secretary general of the DLF City Residents Welfare Association, said the residents had been demanding the formation of an autonomous development agency called GDA in Gurgaon much before the MCG was set up. Municipal corporations in India have a poor track record, he said.

"We need the GDA that would have a commissioner who can take independent decisions in the larger interests of residents like in Noida," said Kapur.

JAFRA members brought to the fore the problems they have to face due to the multiplicity of authorities, both at Gurgaon and Panchkula. They also said that the meetings that used to take place between the HUDA Administrator and the nominated residents have not been held for the last many months.

The Chief Administrator said that only the points that relate to his Directorate should be discussed in this meeting. The Chief Administrator said, "In my Directorate, we are encouraging people participation and partnership. The financial powers of the Administrator: HUDA, have been increased to Rs 50 lakh and from now on all the superintendent engineers and executive engineers are under him."

The members were also told that the HUDA is working for adequate water supply and by 2021, Gurgaon will have 75 flyovers. The survey is already on and the officials are in touch with the residents welfare associations and are grading the colonies according to the civic amenities available in the colonies.

Residents' active participation is being encouraged in the cleanliness drive and the maintenance of parks and cleanliness work has been allotted to Sulabh International. "Though it is good news that so much development is being planned for Gurgaon, the present infrastructure like sewage disposal, roads, electricity and water are not up to the mark," said P K. Sablok, executive member: JAFRA.

The JAFRA members also raised their concern regarding the inability to recycle even a single drop of rainwater "Most of the stormwater drains are choked and have not been desilted for years. Even the sewerage treatment plants are either inadequate or non-functional," said Sablok.

Though Gupta agreed to this, he added that the master sewer line is being laid along the Expressway but the project has been held for a while due to the directive of the High Court. The members proposed the construction of a cremation ground, east of National Highway-8 with all modern facilities. A proposal was presented to the Chief Administrator regarding the handing over of sector community centres to the RWAs as the community centres in developers' colonies are being used as commercial clubs.

The issue of the delay in the re-positioning of Sector 42 was also discussed where the Chief Administrator said that he will look into the matter as the orders for the repositioning has already been issued from his office six months ago.

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has recently announced handing over the maintenance of parks, green belts and open spaces in HUDA sectors to the respective RWAs. The HUDA will pay Re 1 per square meter per month for the area that residents will maintain within their respective colonies.

A recent public notification by the HUDA Administrator says, "For the maintenance of green areas, cooperation from the general public is essential and accordingly HUDA has decided to give maintenance of neighbourhood parks, open spaces, green belts within the sectors to representatives of the sectors to Resident Welfare Associations, house owners associations etc, for better maintenance."

No wonder most RWAs and residents across the city have been grinning ear to ear. "This is a positive sign of the Haryana government encouraging people participate in governance," says Prem Sabhlok of Palam Vihar who has been advocating the concept of Governance to Citizens (G2C) in Gurgaon for years. "Residents can collectively manage many of the facilities within their residential areas," added Sabhlok.

The Indian Constitution also encourages participation of citizens in managing civic affairs. "The 74th amendment to the Constitution of India in 1992 has asked to reactivate and revitalise urban local self-governing bodies, which the Prime Minister emphasised on August 15, 2004 in his speech," added Sabhlok.

Col Man Singh of Sector 31 RWA has already started on the job. He had summoned an executive body meeting lately and formed a committee of two to three residents in each pocket of his sector who will manage the parks and green areas. "These committees are composed of residents of all age groups. We have even encouraged the women in our sector to come forward and take charge. The gardeners earlier employed by the contractors are happy to work with us because they will get their salary in time," said Col Man Singh.

However, residents also believe that this facility must be extended to colonies developed by private builders, because the residents there have also paid external development charges. According to Dev Chopra, resident of DLF Phase-1, "Residents value parks and lands they have in their vicinity. Residents can indeed help to develop and improve upon these and the HUDA should consider it for private developers as well."