KOTHY VANTERSA (UK) WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Minutes of meeting of the Association held on 14th June 2008, Bolton. Lancashire

Present:

• A A Hafezi - President & Chair
  Y Umer – Secretary
  Badaa-saheb Umer
  Mohamed Hafezi
  Vali Hafezi
  Saeed Hafezi
  Nasir Hafezi
  Farukh Hafezi
  Yakub Hafezi
  Babu Master
  Nazia Hafezi
  Yusuf Hafezi
  Talha Hafezi
  Tahir Hafezi
  Yusuf Umarji Voraji
  Gafoor Member
  Gafoor Umarji Voraji
  Gulam Parkhetia
  Noor Mohammed Parkhetia
  Yunus Parkhetia
  Zubair Yunus Parkhetia
  Muhammad Siddique Yunus Parkhetia
  Ayub Parkhetia
  Mohmed Vali
  Yakub Valli
  Vali Mala
  Zubair Kaduji
  Guest: Maqbul Karia

• Apologies for absence were received from Yusuf Member, Ayub Member, Ibrahim Member (London)and Ibrahim Member (Preston)

1. The Chair opened the meeting, welcomed everyone, particularly those members attending for the first time and thanked them for attending.

 

1. There was a short recitation of the Holy Quran by Hafez Mehmud Parkhtetia.

1. The minutes of the last meeting held on 30th October 2007, Bolton, Lancashire were accepted as accurate by the Meeting and there were no matters arising.

 

1. Review of incident 20th October 2007 at Haroon Patel’s house.  HP, who was absent from the meeting without apology, had requested in writing to remove this item from the agenda as he did not wish to discuss it.  Ibrahim Akuji along with other signatories to the petition dated 1st December 2007 confirmed that they also wished not to discuss this matter any more.  The Chair stated that this issue was now closed. 

1. Haroon and Anis Patel’s letter dated 30th October 2007.  Again, as there was a formal request by HP to remove this item from the agenda, it was not discussed.

 

1. Completion of Toki (water tower).  Members who had visited India commented favourably on the completion of this project.  A boundary wall around the Toki has been built and the enclosure will be landscaped to include seating areas. 

1. Water is not currently supplied to the villagers due to some villagers not fitting water taps with a stopcock and the possibility of the pipeline in the village not being able to withstand the pressure of the water.  Solutions suggested included asking the Panchayat to force villagers to do so via enforcement orders and the Panchayat carrying the work out with UK funding (around 10-20,000 Rupees) and billing householders.  The latter option is favoured and this will be communicated to the Sarpanch.  Regarding the need for a new pipeline see Any Other Business.

2. The Secretary gave a financial report on the project.  The total cost of building the Toki was 7 lakh rupees.  As this was a joint venture between Kothy and the Indian government the Association gave a 10% deposit (Rs70, 000).

1. Membership donated £11,600 to the Toki. 

2. Toki deposit (Kothy 10% contribution)  £1,100

3. £9,000 transferred to India in 2007 @ Rs 79.80 which converted to Rs 7,18,200. The Chair and Secretary authorised the Kothy Panchayat Rs 7,45,000 to be spent on the following projects: extra costs associated with Toki (Rs1,20,000)  building of Toki boundary wall ( Rs3,00,000), building children’s playground and landscaping lake (talaav) (Rs1,99,000),  cost of Toki tube well (Rs1,41,000)

4. Balance carried forward June 2008, £1,500.

 

1. Interim report on Dargaah collection. The following members have donated their £150 contribution : Mustak and Sadiq Parkehtia, Abdul Aziz Hafezi, Yakub and Badaa-saheb Umer and Zubair Kaduji (£100). Total so far: £850

1. Any Other Business

 

1. Pipeline carrying water. This is a priority project approved at the 2007 meeting.  Membership voted unanimously to fund this project in partnership with the Indian government on the same basis as the Toki.  The balance carried forward is to be used as deposit.  The Chair will speak to the Sarpanch to get this project moving.

2. Constitution.  The Association has no constitution neither is it registered with the Charity Commission.  The Chair hopes to deal with both issues in the future.

3. Membership fees list.  A list was circulated listing all contributions by members since 1989 on a project by project basis.  Please note amendment that Tahir Hafezi donated £100 not £0 to the Toki project whilst his father Yusuf donated £150 and not £250.

4. Auditing of KV accounts.  The Assocaition is not a registered charity and as such do not require to audit accounts formally.  Membership voted unanimously that as the cost of auditing is an unnecessary burden on the Association they are happy to continue as before.  The Secretary however, has offered to make available Association accounts for inspection by any member who so wishes.  He has accounts dating back to the time he took office in 1989.  Please contact him or the President should you want to take up his offer.

5. Funding of benches.  Yakub Valli announced that he wishes to donate 5 benches to the seating area in the newly built talaav playground area.  The cost of each bench is Rs1,700

6. Gulam Adam Parkehtia’s faxed letter.  The main points of this letter expressed much satisfaction with the way the Association has been run and an appeal to membership not to allow those members who had not contributed anything  at all to village  projects a right to vote on any matter relating to Kothy.  The bare minimum is that they should at least contribute ti ine project.

7. Future projects. Three potential building projects were discussed: Phase 2 of the Mosque (wuzu khana, toilets and disabled access), Imam’s accommodation with rental shop floor space and a health clinic to provide basic health education and treatment to villagers.  Disabled access to mosque is dependent on acquiring a small piece of land at the side of the Mosque and Babu Master reported that the Association is waiting for the family selling the land to make a decision.  Members prioritised the projects as 1. Imam’s house (32 votes), 2. Health clinic (12 votes) and 3. Mosque renovation (0 votes).  The membership also voted by 36 votes to 2 to set a donation fee at the meeting and this was agreed at £200 (28 votes versus 7 for £100).  All members are requested to send their donations to the Secretary by cheque or by directly into KV account by direct debit.  Please contact the Secretary for further details. The Chair and Secretary will inform membership of plans and estimates once they are available. 

8. School bus.  The President informed everyone that a collection was taking place for a school bus to be donated by the Association to Kothy to enable children to be bussed to secondary schools in neighbouring villages of Tankaria and Kamboli.  He hoped this will be done by Christmas 2008.  The total cost is estimated at £12,000.  £2,050 has already been collected.  The following members pledged to donate to this project: Iqbal Akuji (£1,000), Yakub Umer (£1,000), Badaa-saheb Umer (£500), Abdul Aziz Hafezi (£500), Saeed Hafezi (£500), Macsud Hafezi (£100), Yakub Hafezi (£100), Mohmed Hafezi (£100), Ayub Parkhetia (£100), Hafez Zakir Rustam Parkehtia (£100), Farukh Parketia (£50). Total pledged was  £4,050 .

1. Concluding remarks from the President

 

• Closing dua.  The closing dua was led by Hafez Mehmud and the meeting formally closed and celebrated with dinner by all attending members. 

Kothy Vantersa
Taluka Amode
District Bharuch
Gujarat
India

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