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It seems that
IT associations too are, following in Anna Hazare's footsteps. All
Nehru Place associations have decided to launch a protest movement to
bring the attention of Delhi Police and DDA towards the neglected
maintenance like cleanliness, security, and unauthorized encroachment
of the Nehru Place Plaza and the common area. All four Nehru Place
based associations have unanimously decided to come forward and
support the 'Nehru Place Bachao' Program, (earlier called as
Nehru Place Chamkao), a peaceful protest and Bandh of all the traders
in Nehru Place on January 24, 2012.
Additionally,
all associations have formed a steering committee, which will be
driving this initiative. The steering committee was formed on
December 12, 2011. This committee has been formed with 2-3 members of
Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association (NIWA), All Delhi
Computers Dealers Association, PCAIT and CMDA Delhi. Speaking to The
DQ
Week, V Krishnan, executive secretary, PCAIT said, “At the
meeting, it was decided to have a special committee with
representatives from all Nehru Place stakeholder associations, and
this committee has been regularly conducting meetings. And now it has
decided to organize a peaceful protest and bandh on January 24, 2012.
All efforts are being taken by this committee members to make this
bandh a success so that the concerned authorities are awakened to
address the security and cleanliness problems of Nehru Place.”
According to
Mahinder Aggarwal, president, ADCTA, “Nehru Place commercial market
lacks cleanliness, encroachment and security issue, ineffective DDA,
etc, which have driven all the stakeholders of Nehru Place to evolve
a plan of action on top priority for 'Nehru Place Bachao.' All
our association members will be fully supporting this cause.”
The other
issue which Nehru Place market is crippled with is fire hazard. The
buildings of Nehru Place have no provisions to exit if a fire broke
out, and even the fire brigade
can not enter because of congestion of traders and people in the
plaza and common area. Besides all, encroachments of unauthorized
hawkers is another pain area, which is creating lots of problems for
the dealers. Saket Kapur, secretary, PCAIT added, “Some traders of
Nehru Place are allowing unauthorized hawkers to sit in front of
their shops, adding to the existing congestion."
He also
pointed out that the number of hawkers present in the Nehru Place was
many times more than what the Supreme Court and High Court permitted
DDA to allow as per their stay order. Punnet Singhal, president, CMDA
Delhi said, “We have also extended our support to this cause. Some
of our association members are located in this area and we want them
to take part in this bandh and fight for basic amenities.” The
committee's immediate priority would be to spread awareness about
the immediate need for 'Nehru Place Bachao' among all the
occupants of Nehru Place including the staff working in various shops
and offices, and unite them to organize a peaceful protest.
The
associations strongly advised that people should not be running after
DDA or other government officials, rather they should come running to
us. Moreover, the association is planning to file an RTI application
to DDA to get all the relevant details about the number of hawkers
and their names, who were granted stay by the courts and any other
relevant information. The main agenda of the meeting will be to
decide on what urgent steps to take to stop further deterioration of
Nehru Place and bring it to the international standards.