This will be the fourth in a series of meetings since the ‘Partnerships for Vrindavan’ workshop of November 20th 2003.

Many of our friends living overseas who attended that Kartik workshop, and those Vrindavan friends from Delhi, cannot always participate in every meeting, nonetheless there has been in the last two sessions, a broadening out into the local community. The women’s initiative for example is there and developing, as is this alliance endeavour to create working partnerships for Vrindavan.
 
In February we expect several members to have returned from winter activities and to hopefully be participating.
 
At 10.30 a.m. there is an optional FoV planning session with the visiting urban development expert, Roshan Bhatnagar; Farhad Vania (Development Alternatives) will brief us regarding the latest positive news for Vrindavan in the Yamuna Action Plan II. From Vrindavan, Shrivatsa Goswami, Sevak Sharan, Jack Hawley (FoV USA), Vimlendu Jha (We for Yamuna) Michael Duffy, Robyn Beeche and other guests.
 
At 2.15 p.m. in the afternoon session our local MLA Pradeep Mathur, will also be attending.
 
Farhad Vania will brief us regarding the latest extremely positive developments for Vrindavan of the Yamuna Action Plan – PPA (Peoples Participation & Awareness)

Objectives here are for:

1) Internal suggestions
2) Who are potential stakeholders?
3) Apportion tasks / responsibilities
 
Roshan Bhatnagar will brief the afternoon session regarding his present work of community partnership building in Iraq – as well as over viewing the prospects of Vrindavan partnerships and the path to achieving a community vision, funding and implementation. This builds on the progress of the January meeting with the aim to create a plan that dovetails the Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority (MVDA) vision.

Mr. Ribero, a senior town planner and with colleagues, are on behalf of IPE, (Infrastructure Professionals Enterprises) producing a vision document MVDA. He said- A ‘Vision’ document for Vrindavan is not a project, it is a researched and inspired overview of where government and community of Vrindavan wish to go in terms of environment, development, infrastructure, governance, municipal services etc. From this structure, projects can be selected.
 
Finally we shall need to:
 
1) Sum up and consolidate our progress
2) Vision statement synopsis
3) Financial Contributions
4) Finalising a name
5) Brahma Kund / Ghats (projects?)
 
Other topics

FoV is taking delivery of an hydraulic earthmoving machine before Holi. Ghat restoration, Parikrama cleaning/landscaping and Tank reclamation are two of the important projects FoV are focusing upon using it for. FoV have also had a meeting with the joint secretary of Culture regarding Vrindavan waterfront and heritage plans to be shared with the group.

FoV has been requested by a Raja Sabbha M.P. to submit a plan for the construction of garbage loading ramps for Vrindavan. This should be done in partnership with the Municipality and the Junior Engineer has been appraised. The quantity, locations and maintenance of these ramps is open for suggestions, comment and help from members.