Stakeholders should participate in making Delhi healthy

New Delhi, Dec 13 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil today called on all stakeholders in the development of Delhi to work together to help keep the city clean, green and beautiful.

''Delhi, our capital city, occupies a place of pride in the heart of every Indian. It is an ancient city and a living archive of our history, which requires preservation of its traditions, culture, monuments and heritage sites. At the same time, it is also important that the city is kept clean.

''Communities have a duty to participate in making their city livable, green and beautiful. All stakeholders have to join hands in building cities that are well managed and are humane,'' the President said in her address at a function to release the Commemorative First Day Cover with Cancellation on the Occasion of completion of 50 years of the Delhi Development Authority.

In this regard, she stressed the need for good governance, provision of civic amenities and recognition of one's civic duties to ensure a healthy living in cities.

''It ought to be our endeavour to ensure fully transparent processes in all our administration so as to effectively curb the menace of corruption. In a democracy, in the ultimate analysis, government and its institutions are accountable to the people. Also, healthy cities and urbanisation that is sustainable should be more inclusive and equitable. We can only call ourselves a civilized society if we look after the interests of each of our citizens especially, the weakest and the poorest,''the President said.

Referring in this context to the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission that seeks to cater to the needs of the poor and improve the quality of their lives with the involvement of all stakeholders, Ms Patil said, ''proper implementation of this scheme along with regular monitoring should be done.'' At the same time, she also called upon the citizens of the capital city to contribute to its growth and help make it clean and green.

''Citizens should be law abiding, conscious of their role and willing to contribute to all aspects of the growth of the city.

The feeling that it is for the Government alone to take action is not correct. Each person can contribute, NGOs can contribute, civil societies can contribute and industry can contribute in making a positive difference to the city. Individuals should have a sense of civic duty. If each individual took a vow not to litter on the streets, I am convinced that a city would begin to look clean,'' Ms Patil said.

She said public-private partnerships like the Bhagidari Scheme of the Delhi Government, with the concept of - "My Delhi - I Care", were examples of everyone working together for a better city.

Congratulating the Delhi Development Authority on completing 50 years of its existence, the President said,''DDA has contributed to the development of Delhi in the last 50 years in terms of providing housing for its people; establishing commercial centres, office buildings and industrial estates for its economic growth; developing institutional areas for cultural activities; creating play areas and sports centres as recreational facilities, and keeping parks and forests as essential green zones of the city.

While setting up the DDA to make the Master Plan for the Capital of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had envisaged a modern capital city that embodied the qualities which he most valued: democracy, secularism, economic development and scientific and technological prowess. That Vision must continue to guide DDA in its work,'' she said.

Also present on the occasion of release of the first day cover were Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, Delhi Lt Governor Tejender Khanna and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

UNI