How green is my park

MCD to hand over local parks to RWAs or NGOs for better maintenance

MCD to hand over local parks to RWAs or NGOs for better maintenance

Your neighbourhood park is set to become more beautiful. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated a programme to hand over the parks to local RWAs and NGOs for better maintenance.

My space: MCD will give the RWA or NGO Rs 6,000 per acre of park for maintenance

Delhi Mayor Kanwar Sain said, "The initiative is aimed at making the city greener and beautiful through public- private partnership. We will be handing over the upkeep of local parks to NGOs or RWAs. Gardeners will supplied by MCD or the agency in charge of maintenance can also appoint gardeners," said the Mayor.

The MCD will give the RWA or NGO an amount of Rs 6,000 per acre for maintenance. Electricity and water supply will be free of cost.

"We want the city to be world class. I think public participation in such ventures is very important. Residents use their local parks everyday and they would like to keep them beautiful," he said.

The scheme will be launched by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, on Tuesday.

The mayor also said the agency maintaining the park can display its name there. "It will make them compete with each other to do the best," Sain said.u00a0

Meanwhile, RWAs have welcomed the step. "It is a good idea. However, a lot will depend on how it works out.

But the amount being paid to RWAs or NGOs is inadequate. Every month we spend around Rs 20,000 from the RWA fund to maintain parks. The grant should be increased. But it should be audited so that the money is not misused," said Rajiv Kakria, member of Greater Kailash-I RWA.

18,000

Is the approximate number of local parks Delhi has. Though some are being maintained by the MCD and local RWAs, most of them are in a poor condition because of shortage of staff and funds