Letter to President of India

Hon’ble President of India
President’s Secretariat
Rashtrapati Bhawan
New Delhi

Sub: Indian Builders Congress awards – an apology

Respected Sir,

I learned from a news item on a mailing-list that you are to honour / have honoured three architects / projects selected by Indian Builder Congress for its annual awards.

I think all these involve illegalities and the selection lacks rigour. I have written to Council of Architecture in this regard a letter, enclosed for your kind information.

I regret that your office was misled into unnecessary involvement and apologize for failure of architecture / planning professions to prevent such a situation from arising.

I also take this opportunity to thank you for my letter of 22.01.04 being forwarded to Urban Development Secretary. The instant matter relates directly to issues raised therein and I am also enclosing the letter that I have now written to him.

Yours sincerely

Gita Dewan Verma / Planner
B.Arch (SPA, gold medalist); M.Planning (SPA, gold medalist); PG Dip-Research (IHS-Rotterdam, top rank); Dip-Training (DoPT)
Formerly: Senior Fellow (HUDCO-HSMI), Visiting Faculty (SPA, TVB SHS), Consultant (DfID, IHSP, Nuffic, UNICEF, etc)
Currently: Independent researcher / writer and consultant to citizens’ groups synergising on Master Plan Implementation Support Group