Pune Mirror: Pune: Sunday, May
01, 2016.
Details of
all projects done in the last five years will be tagged and uploaded on PMC
site.
If you've
been consistently tripping over broken footpaths and grimacing as your vehicle
bounces into a pothole, you're probably wondering just where the civic
authorities are putting taxpayers' money.
Now, the Pune
Municipal Corporation (PMC) plans to use geotagging to enable greater
transparency in its development works. Following this, the corporation will
make a social audit of its works, including those related to the health
department, roads, solid waste management, construction, water, drainage, land
and estate, heritage, etc. At present, there is no system to provide direct
information to citizens regarding the commencement and completion of works, the
expenditure of individual projects, names of contractors, etc. People have to
either approach officials of concerned departments or file applications under
the Right to Information (RTI) Act to get detailed information.
Now, all of
this is set to change as all information will be uploaded on the PMC website
after the project is tagged on Google Maps. PMC has compiled information of all
development works of the last five years, including small road works as well as
bigger projects.
Elaborating
on the concept, Prerna Deshbhratar, additional municipal commissioner of PMC,
said, "We have initiated the process of geotagging. It will help to
provide detailed information of ongoing works with just one click. We will also
provide information regarding the amount, the type of work, its start and
completion dates, names of contractors and the PMC official under whom the work
is happening."
She added,
"We have also decided to give people the chance to register their opinion
on development work. They can opine on the quality and if the project fulfills
the needs of the city. This will help in the social audit. However, it will
take at least six months to activate the service in a full-fledged way. But, we
will ensure that it brings about greater transparency and democracy in
development work."
Rahul Jagtap,
head of PMC's information and technology (IT) department, said,
"Currently, we are developing the software for geotagging. Once this is
done, we will be able to upload information."
Civic
activists, however, are skeptical of PMC's ability to implement the initiative.
Ashish Mane, an activist from the Wadgaonsheri-Viman Nagar area, said, "It
is a good initiative but I am doubtful about the implementation. Under
geotagging, PMC will have to give detailed information related to development
work. And, in order to do this, they will need to update information. I don't
think officers will upload complete information. At the end of the day, they
don't want total transparency as there are always problems with their work.
However, it this does work out, it will be a boon as there will be no need to
file RTI applications or chase officers to get information."
Civic
activist Vijay Kumbhar, too, raised questions on the implementation of the
system. "It is merely another announcement made by the corporation. I do
not think it will work. And, if it does, it will not last long. Past
experiences of how the corporation functions have left me in doubt,"
Kumbhar said.
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