RWA members of Radhika Apartments, Pocket 1, Sector 14, Dwarka, engaged in park maintenance.
There has been a significant increase of RWA participation in park maintenance inside the societies in Sector 14, Ward 135. All thanks to South Delhi Muncipal Corporation's PPP (Public Private Participation) scheme. Almost all the parks of Pocket 1 and Pocket 2, Sector 14, are being maintained by RWAs under the scheme that offers Rs 35,000 quarterly to RWAs for maintenance.
“With the park maintenance fund, we have been able to employ a mali and when we are free, we also roll our sleeves to do our bit," said SS Chowhan, RWA president of Radhika Apartments, Pocket 1, Sector 14. "The SDMC had earlier carpeted our central park and recently it has also carpeted two of our smaller parks with grass. We have also planted 2,500 saplings provided by the corporation," he added.
“The park here was a deserted patch earlier. We have bought our own equipment, including sprinklers and cutters, to maintain our parks. PPP should be promoted. Residents are taking an interest in it,” Rakesh Godara, president of RWA, Om Apartments, said.
SDMC has already handed over the parks of Bharat Apartments (Sector 16B), Metro View Apartments (Sector 13B), Om Apartments, Kautilya Apartment and Radhika Apartments in Pocket 1 and 2, Sector 14, to their respective RWAs for maintenace. "Under the scheme, we issue quarterly cheques to the concerned RWA teams. We also provide assistance in activities needed for development and maintenance of parks. That includes painting of grills, fencing, fertilizers and saplings," said Shashi Tomar, the councillor of the ward.
The scheme, however, applies only to parks that have a minimum area of 1 acre.
What about parks whose sizes are less than that? "We hope to bring those parks too under the scheme,” added Tomar.
