READERS’COLUMN :
LETTING OUT OF PUBLIC PARKS FOR PUBLIC FUNCTIONS
Letter dated October 12, 2007 from Mr. Ashok Kumar, Village Wazirpur, Ashok Vihar, Delhi- 110052 is reproduced below :
Sub: Temporary allotment of land by DDA for the purpose of holding marriage/ social functions etc.
The Delhi Development Authority allots vacant land/ parks etc. for the purpose of holding social/ marriage functions etc. For this, the DDA levies booking charges from the allottees on daily basis which comprises of rent per day, cleanliness charges and Service Tax.
In this connection, it is submitted that they calculate the day from 12 midnight to the next 12 midnight which is wrong. Practically, shamiana people start their work from 5 or 6 in the morning; marriage function comes to close at about 12 in the midnight and shamiana furniture & fixture is removed by about 6 AM in the next morning. In this way, if they (DDA) calculate the day from 6 AM to the next 6 AM, the allottee will have to pay only one day’s Ground Rent which is already very exorbitant. But as per present calculation I was charged two days ground rent.
Marriage functions are performed by rich as well as poor people. I live in Wazirpur village earning my livelihood from a small milk dairy. I paid Rs.31910/- for holding a small function for my daughter’s marriage on the basis of two days calculation due to DDA’s impractical timings. Hence, I may mention that through this letter I am not demanding my money back but I want to raise this matter from your platform to amend the timing calculation so that the public may not suffer unnecessarily. Secondly, DDA charges Service Tax which is also not proper on their part. They are not providing any service. For cleanliness, they are charging separately which practically is done by the allottees by bribing the sweeper/ inspector. So Service Tax should also be abolished.
Expecting a reply,
Director’s response:
I have received your letter dated October 12, 2007 regarding the charges levied by the DDA for temporary allotment of land for holding social functions.
The DDA is technically justified in calculating the daily charges from midnight to midnight as that coincides with the change of date. I believe that if someone were really keen to keep the expenditure on social events within reasonable limits, one would hold functions like marriages during daylight hours. Apart from the saving on ground rent, this would also eliminate the expenditure on lighting and contribute to social well being by reducing the peak demand in a situation of severe power shortage, attenuating the emissions of green house gases and avoiding disturbance to the neighbourhood during the night. The Singh Sabha of Delhi has set an example in this regard which is worthy of emulation.
