Mayor gives advance approval to PPP scheme for maintenance of parks: EDMC

A total of two lakh children are enrolled in the schools of the EDMC.

East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal has given anticipatory approval to a scheme whereby maintenance of a certain percentage of the total areas of parks under the EDMC's jurisdiction will be managed by a resident welfare association or an NGO, the civic body said.

In a statement, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation termed it a ''public-private-partnership (PPP) model.

The move will await the formal nod of the EDMC's Standing Committee and the House.

Mayor Agarwal has given ''advance approval to this scheme based on a PPP model,'' the statement said.

The EDMC has various parks under its jurisdiction, spanning about 950 acres in total, and under this scheme 15 per cent of the areas of the parks i.e. about 135 acres, will be given to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) for its maintenance, it said.

The EDMC will make payment quarterly to the engaged RWA on a priority basis, the statement said.

Agrawal said that under this scheme, RWAs will be given the responsibility of maintaining parks, appointment of gardeners, irrigation system, greenery and beautification of the park.

The mayor said, according to the rate of DSR (Delhi Schedule of Rates) CPWD, for the maintenance of the parks, an RWA would be paid Rs 2.14 per sqm per month.

He said the rates of DSR, CPWD are revised from time to time, thus the revised rates will be implemented by the EDMC as well.

If the RWA is not willing to do the maintenance work of the parks, then the NGO having three years experience related to this particular work in the zone can also apply, and no objection certificate will be needed from the related RWA for the same, the statement said.

The mayor said officials of the horticulture department would inspect parks from time to time so that their proper maintenance could be ensured.

Meanwhile, the EDMC in a statement on Thursday, also said that in line with the New Education Policy of the government, and ongoing changes in the teaching methods, the civic body has taken the initiative to prepare its teachers.

The EDMC has decided to launch an assessment-cum-training programme for its teachers, which will be conducted by an independent agency having a long-term experience in this field, it said.

There are 354 schools under the jurisdiction of the corporation in which 5,000 teachers are working. A total of two lakh children are enrolled in the schools of the EDMC. Corporation-run schools are closed due to COVID-19 pandemic, but students are being taught through online medium.

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