Ghaziabad: In conversation with RWA president, Niti Khand 3

RWA makes an important role in solving civic issues in an area. They are the interface between the residents and the authorities. Nearly 3,000 people live in Niti Khand 3's residential area. We talked to Parvinder Singh, RWA president of the area and discussed dominating issues and future plans.

Here are excerpts from our conversation.

How did you start your journey as RWA president?

I always wanted to do something good for the residents, so I agreed to try my luck in the RWA election with this goal. When I took charge, the condition of society was very poor. There was no security in the area. The entrance gate was in poor condition. The roads were not levelled. All these issues motivated me to step up and take action. I began working from the ground up, solving minor to major issues to make the life of residents comfortable and secure.

What are your daily duties?

Apart from solving major structural issues, we ensure that common areas in society remain clean, green areas are replenished from time and time, and wild grasses are removed. We also take care of pest control to control mosquitoes.

What are the dominant issues that require the attention of higher authorities?

At the moment, there are one or two issues that require the attention of the Ghaziabad development authority. Senior citizens have requested public toilets in the central park, which I believe is important. However, some residents disagree, and GDA has also rejected our proposal. But, apart from this, GDA has always been there for us and we greatly respect them.

What challenges do you face while administrating such a large area?

Residents initially opposed some of my decisions. Now, many have expressed gratitude for the work we have done. Earlier, they only used to pay 15% for society's maintenance, but now it has raised to 80%. Everything is fine in our society, there are no problems with electricity, water, or maintenance.

What are your upcoming plans for society?

We made a resolution last year to improve our park, so we planted trees in it, and now 80 per cent of them are growing well. This year, ahead of the monsoon, we have decided to plant more trees to counter climate change.