Asked to shape up or face de-recognition of the Deer Park at Hauz Khas by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) this March, the Delhi Development Authority has in its reply on Monday defended its work at the park stating that remedial work has already been initiated there.

The CZA had issued a notice to the DDA in March stating that there were a number of shortcomings in the park, including hygiene, which needed urgent attention. It also cautioned them about over-population in the small park area, which the CZA noted was the main and a very serious issue.

The Delhi government will convert the shelter homes, constructed last year to provide roof to the homeless in winter, into all-weather accommodation.
In the first phase, 30 homes out of 150 will be upgraded by next month so that the homeless can stay there throughout the year. Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) is implementing the project.

Lack of rainwater harvesting finishing many resources

A large water body at Dhulsiras village in South-West Delhi is an example of what a water body should not be. Littered with plastics and other refuse, moss-covered and encroached on all sides, this water body is also an example of poor management and utter neglect. “It was a fairly large water body but residents gradually began to fill it up and to create more space for their houses and cattle, and whatever remains of it today is used as a littering bin,” said Rakesh Kumar, a resident of a nearby village and a volunteer with non-government organisation Natural Heritage First.

With a view to address the issue of unsafe buildings, the Delhi Development Authority on Tuesday decided to set up a separate unit to work out systems for retrofitting or rebuilding buildings considered vulnerable during earthquakes. At the Authority meeting held on Tuesday, Delhi Lt Governor and DDA chairman Tejendra Khanna suggested that the DDA, in public interest and due to Delhi being in seismic zone, should address the issues of unsafe buildings. “After deliberations, it was decided that a separate unit should be created within the DDA, for the purpose.

A variety of birds flock the recovered stream within 48 hours

For the past couple of weeks Rakesh Kumar with his borrowed binoculars and relentless patience has been busy tracking and keeping record of the varieties and number of birds that have begun to flock to a small water body inside a park in Dwarka's Pochanpur village. The water body that has become home to the winged visitors has been revived in a park maintained by the Delhi Development Authority.

The Delhi government on Monday decided to expedite the construction of around 70,000 low-cost flats for slum dwellers while asking the concerned department to immediately start distribution of 14,000 flats completed.

The 14,000 flats will be distributed among the residents of the slums which have come up on land owned by the city government and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

The civic bodies of Delhi have asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to provide land for parking in case of land-use change or regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The DDA’s review of the Master Plan 2021 is going on, with several open houses being held to hear residents’ suggestions. South Corporation Commissioner Manish Gupta said, “There is a major parking problem in the city and if the government regularises unauthorised colonies or changes land-use from residential to commercial, the need for parking space arises.

Parking fees should go up, feel new MCD Commissioners

With the Master Plan for Delhi-2021 currently under review, the Delhi Development Authority should provide land to the Municipal Corporations to build parking facilities, said South Delhi Corporation Commissioner Manish Gupta on Wednesday. “We have sent a proposal to the DDA suggesting that it provide land for parking facilities when a colony is converted from a residential to a commercial area,” he said.

In a bid to make the city slum-free, the Delhi government has decided to start allocation of around 10,000 low cost flats from next month. The project is, however, delayed for more than three years.

The government will allocate 500 flats to slum dwellers in June and the allocation would continue thereafter, Delhi urban development minister A.K. Walia said.
Chief minister Sheila Dikshit instructed the urban development ministry to expedite distribution of flats on Wednesday.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday slapped costs of `15,000 each on the city government and the DDA for their failure to file replies on a PIL seeking appropriate safety measures in Mayapuri scrap market following the 2010 radiation exposure incident.

Irked over the failure to file their responses on three different occasions since April 2011, a bench of Delhi HC Acting Chief Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw also summoned the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) vice-chairman and principal secretary of the environment ministry, Delhi government, on May 23, the next date of hearing.