SPECIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

SPECIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

A Special Executive Committee meeting of CoRWA was held on Sunday, 20^th May at the offices of Sri Ramesh Prabhu, Andheri (West), Mumbai.Mumbai, with the main objective of preparing a Road Map for next 5 years for CoRWA and Restructuring the CoRWA Body. The following Members of the Executive Committee were present:

Col Tejendra Pal Tyagi,

Dr. KSR Murthy,

Sri. B.T. Srinivasan,

Sri Sharad Kumar,

Sri J.M.S. Nagarjunan,

Maj. Shiv Kiran,

CA Ramesh Prabhu,

Sri.K.Raghavendrarao,

Sri.S.Karunakar,

Sri Devendranath, Mumbai, CA

Vinod K Prabhu, MahaSeva, Mumbai.

Road Map for Next 5 Years:

i). The members discussed on this subject at length, emphasising that Solid Waste Management (SWM) should form the core issue on which CoRWA should concentrate since it has become an alarming menace resulting in a rapidly degrading urban environment. The Committee discussed at length on the importance of segregating domestic waste at source and the mode of disposal. It is unequivocally felt that unless citizens voluntarily involve in the segregation of dry and wet waste at the kitchen, no model could successfully achieve the desired results. RWAs should work in this direction and organise awareness programs and also see that segregation of domestic waste and composting wet waste at local level is carried out perfectly in all the colonies across the country. As for disposal of the waste, it is felt that dumping of domestic waste in the outskirts of the cities should be discouraged henceforth, while Col T P Tyagi suggested an alternative mode comprising of sanitary land fill which is not an absolute solution but may serve as an alternative to Dumping Grounds which are causing air pollution, fire hazards and wastage of land.

ii). The Committee Members then listed out the following activities: Swachh Bharat – as the focal activity of CoRWA; RWAs’s role in Effective Solid Waste Management in urban environment; Expansion of RWA activity to all major cities of the country; Efforts to get constitutional status to RWAs; QRT Culture in Nagar Nigams; Issuance of Municipal Bonds by all ULBs; Monitoring the implementation of RERA – in coordination with FPCE; Effective measures to control Air Pollution; Women empowerment in solving civic issues, particularly in waste management; Housing problems in major cities; RTI as an effective tool in creating transparency in the civic system; Role of RWAs in Disaster Management.

Restructuring of CoRWA: The Members present unanimously agreed to the proposal of restructuring the CoRWA National Council on Zonal Basis. The Model suggested is that the CoRWA should have a small and compact National Council and there should be Zonal Bodies with a Coordinator leading each Zone: 1. North Zone: Col. Tejendra Pal Tyagi, Param Vir Chakra, 2. South Zone: Sri M.S.Venugopal, 3. Central Zone: Sri. B.T.Srinivasan, 4. East Zone: Dr.K.S.R.Murthy, 5 West Zone: CA Ramesh Prabhu.

Other Important points: The states that come under different Zones may be decided in due course in discussion among the Zonal Coordinators (ZC). Each Z.C. to define a minimum of 5 and even up to 10 active members for the respective Zone with adequate representation, wherever possible, to all states. Adequate representation in the National Council as well as in the Zonal Committees (ZC) for women who are reputed activists in RWA Mission in different states. Each ZC should have an organisational structure with tie up to the NC. Central CoRWA body as well as ZCs should preferably have a website and an email ID. Major Shiv Kiran has been identified to design a website for the CoRWA central body which may be later extended to Zonal bodies, so that uniformity is maintained both in Email Ids and websites of Central and Zonal Committees. The Secretary General of CoRWA is responsible for the overall coordination. All members present voluntarily donated an amount of Rs.1,000/- each towards meeting the expenditure for designing and hosting of the website for CoRWA. Col. T P Tyagi suggested that the EC Committee may be designated hereafter as National Council, so as to give the body a national identity. Major Shiv Kiran suggested to continue efforts to get constitutional status to RWA movement and also felt that the Union Minister of Urban Development might be made as an Ex-Officio member of CoRWA. ZCs must strive to get more and more resourceful RWAs and Federations in to the fold of CoRWA and see that the RWA Mission expands across the length and breadth of the country, which in fact is the main objective of this restructuring. Zonal bodies should establish links to local bodies through RWAs of the Zone so that a complete link is established to micro level, which helps for effective role of RWAs in local governance. Major Shiv Kiran suggested time bound activity plan for ZCs. Sri JMS Nagarjunan suggested amendments to the Bye laws of CoRWA wherever necessary, particularly in the light of restructuring the CoRWA. He further said that as a National Federation we should be very clear of our Demands and what we exactly expect from the Govt. and what we should deliver. In this connection Major Shiv Kiran clarified that though CoRWA is registered at Hyderabad, its jurisdiction is all over India. Col T P Tyagi emphasised that every RWA member should be aware of the Section 51A of the Indian Constitution so that he is aware of his duties and responsibilities. It is our duty to safeguard public property. Burning of Vehicles and immovable property should be condemned tooth and nail. Sri.K.Raghavendra Rao’s name has been proposed for the charge of the Treasurer of the CoRWA National Council subject to ratification by the National Council during the GBM in Nov 2018. Considering the delicate financial position of the CoRWA it is decided that henceforth the host federation organising the national conference should earmark 10% of its earnings to the parent body to meet its organisational expenditure. It is also decided that henceforth a coordinator must be defined to guide the local hosts of the NCRWAs. He will not only help in successful organisation of the Conference but also see that the overall norms of CoRWA are followed in organising the national conference.

Formation of a National Expert Panel for CoRWA: Members present unanimously agreed that CoRWA should have a National Expert Panel to effectively deal all aspects of the RWA Mission as well as to guide the Zonal Bodies. RWA Mission over all expertise: Dr.Rao VBJ Chelikani, Swachh Bharat - pollution control & mitigation: Col.T.P.Tyagi,Effective implementation of RERA: Sri B T Srinivasan; Solid Waste Management: Major Shiv Kiran; Housing Society related Issues: CA Ramesh Prabhu; RTI and related Issues: Sri V Venkateswara Rao; Disaster Management and role of RWAs: Dr.K.S.R.Murthy; Legal issues related to RWA activity:Sri JMS Nagarjunan.

Venue for 6^th NCRWA: Bengaluru has been chosen as the venue for the Sixth National Conference of RWAs. The dates are fixed as 25^th and 26^th November, 2018. Sri.B.T.Srinivasan has voluntarily come forward to be in touch with the local federations of Bengaluru and to give us a feedback about their readiness to host the conference. In case Bengaluru expresses its inability to host this year’s conference, Delhi will be the next choice.