Fire temple association

A nine member committee has been nominated to head the newly formed Atashbehrams, Agiaries, and Religious Institutions Welfare Society (AARIWS). Selected by a gathering of around 22 representatives of various Bombay based religious institutions at the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) boardroom on April 26, 2013, the committee comprises Kaizad Hazari, president (Mazgaon Anjuman Agiary), Nasha Jussawalla, vice president (R. N. Rustom Faramna Agiary), Bomi Hansotia, honorary secretary (Karani Agiary); Mehli Colah, treasurer (J. D. Amaria Sodawaterwalla Agiary), Dinshaw Mehta, BPP chairman, Farokh Kavarana (H. B. Wadia Atash Behram), Percy Dalal (Kappawala Agiary), Behram Ardeshir (Dadysett Agiary and Atash Behram) and Godrej Fanibanda (Langrana Godiwala Agiary).

Bomi Hansotia and Mehli Colah; 3rd row: Farokh Kavarana, Godrej Fanibanda and Behram Ardeshir

Hazari heads the legal and corporate office (South Asia) of GlaxoSmithKline. Mehta was urged to take on the mantleship of the association but declined pointing out that he was already overburdened with BPP work. He noted the BPP did not want to dominate the newly formed Society and only one BPP trustee would serve on the AARIWS committee.
"The main thing is unity,” stated Mehta."If there is unity we can work together. We have come together to help each other. Not to interfere. Every anjuman is independent. Where there is a common problem, we can work together.”
The impetus for forming the group was to counter the new municipal levies on religious institutions in Bombay. The Bombay Municipal Corporation has calculated taxes on the capital value of the property rather than revenue and other criteria. For example the H. B. Wadia Atash Behram at Princess Street would end up paying taxes of over Rs 60 lakhs a year as against a few thousand at present.
The Memorandum of Association drawn up by former BPP trustee Burjor Antia and Homiar Vakil, both noted solicitors of Mulla and Mulla, Cragie, Blunt and Caroe includes the following objectives: To protect the interest of fire temples in Bombay "as well as all over India and to safeguard their rights as per the provisions of the Constitution of India;” to ascertain the grievances of the trustees and to take steps to redress the problems; to organize and hold meetings to provide and make available "assistance, advice, instructions and directions;” to take steps to bring closeness among the members and to organize meetings, lectures, get-togethers; to collect information about fire temples including rates and taxes, municipal and government rules and byelaws affecting religious institutions; to frame schemes for "affording aid and advice in all matters such as legal, architectural, sanitary, constructional, etc;” to establish branches in the state, to affiliate, associate or amalgamate with any "institution existing or to be started and to enter into any federation of such society, with similar objects on such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed upon and to cultivate reciprocal relations with kindred institutions in India and elsewhere;” to investigate and inquire into difficulties experienced by fire temples; to accept donations or gifts of movable or immovable properties; to create and maintain a permanent fund; "to challenge the levy of property tax or any other tax issued by Brihan Mumbai Mahanagar Palika or any other statutory authority by filing writ petitions or any other appropriate legal proceedings in the courts of law (and) in general to solve problems, look after the welfare of the agiaries, atash behrams or religious institutions.”
An admission fee of Rs 5,000 has been fixed with an annual subscription of Rs 2,000.
Others attending the meeting were Rustom Balsara (N. C. Narielvala Agiary), RohintonVachha and Rohinton Karanjia (Jeejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary), Kersi Ichhaporia and Ratan Lalkaka (H. D. Saher Agiary Trust), Sam Gotla (F. N. Patel Mazgaon Agiary), AramaitiVachha (Sorabji Thoothi Agiary), Yasmine Sanjana (Bai P. D. M. Vatcha Agiary Trust Fund), Farokh Siganporia (Mazgaon Anjuman Agiary), Burjor Tarachand (Anjuman Atash Behram), Homi Ranji (Ranji Agiary), Tehemton Karma (Muncherji Jamshetji Wadia Fire Temple), Godrej Dotivala (Bai Avabai Wadia Agiary), Marzban Bhesania and Shahrukh Dhalla (Athornan Mandal).
The next meeting of the new committee has been fixed for May 17.