The buck stops nowhere

Ward no. 34
The tussle between MCG officials and councillors seems to be unending, and it is the municipal wards that have to bear the brunt.
Ward 34, with predominantly upmarket areas like DLF phases I to IV, Sectors 27, 28, Global Business Park and Garden Estate, hasn't gained anything in the last two years due to the inability of the municipal corporation to take over areas developed by private builders and HUDA under its umbrella.
Ward councillor Rama Rani Rathee counts renovation of the dilapidated structures like a panchayat ghar and a community centre in Sikenderpur Ghosi village in the list of her success. She is, however, quick to express disappointment as the plantation carried out to beautify the community centre lies in a state of neglect with no maintenance being carried out by the corporation.
"Work on construction of a two lakh-litre water tank (for storage of canal water) and Balmiki panchayat and Harijan Chaupal would begin in the coming fortnight with tenders already allotted. It's not easy to move a file, it passes through 38 tables and then the tendering work takes another couple of months," said Rathee, who adds that the MCG is not proactive in stopping (illegal) constructions in villages outside the lal dora, but when it comes to providing basic facilities, the officials show us policy documents to disallow any civil works there.
According to Janak Ram Singh of Sikenderpur Ghosi, conditions have improved, only slightly. "The pace of progress is extremely slow," he said.
The MCG has collected close to Rs 68 crore from Zone III (including this ward), but residents complaint that there has been no facilities provided in their areas. "The corporation has not added a single new bench in the existing parks, but they keep sending notices for payment of house tax," said B N Khare, a retired government official and a resident of Sector 28.
"We do not ask for monetary powers, but the corporation should verify projects submitted by the concillors and get jobs done early. I wouldn't ask for streetlights for my house, they need to understand that," added Rathee.