Times of India: Pune: Saturday,
February 11, 2017.
Dissatisfied
with the efforts of the Pune Municipal Corporation in laying a concrete road in
their locality, the residents of South Avenue in Kalyaninagar decided to take
matters into their own hands.
They
approached the additional city engineer and insisted on the road having a
footpath and crossings. The citizens also pointed out flaws in the plan, and
suggested revisions so that the slope of the road is gentler; otherwise,
rainwater would accumulate in residential areas. The civic body listened to those
suggestions and worked accordingly, monitored by the residents.
In other
parts of the city, Mohalla Committee members actually measured the diameter of
the water pipeline to be laid in the area, and discovered that the contractor
was planning to lay smaller pipes. They contacted the civic administration in
this regard.
"Vibrant
civic activism and participation in civic planning and execution has worked
well," Satish Khot of National Society for Clean Cities (NSCC) said,
adding: "From garbage segregation to participatory budgets, citizens'
groups have been active, and helped facilitate good governance."
Pune is among
the few cities which allow direct participation of citizens in the annual civic
budget. The Janwani organization has proactively worked towards promoting and
facilitating participatory budgeting. As a result, the PMC increased
participatory budgeting allocation. The aim of participatory budgeting,
according to Janwani, is to bring out citizens' engagement in the city's
governance, and thus create liveable neighbourhoods.
The total
participatory budgeting allocation in 2015-16 was Rs37.4 crore, and 6,000
citizens had suggested development works in their localities to utilize the
funds. Around Rs2.4 crore was spent in four administrative wards Ghole Road,
Ahmednagar Road, Bhawani Peth and Kasba Vishrambaugwada.
Citizens'
groups have made use of Section 4 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which
allows for the inspection of municipal records. Common people are using this is
keep track of development works.
Pune
municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar admitted that key policies, such as the
Pedestrian Policy, Comprehensive Mobility Plan, Hoarding Policy, were possible
only because of participation from citizens. "The Smart City Mission plan
is the best example," Kumar said. "The entire plan was based on
suggestions made by Puneites," he further said, adding that citizens and
administration joining hands facilitates the smooth execution of development
works in the city.
The NSCC
holds a monthly meeting with PMC officials to discuss civic issues. "An
antagonistic approach is not going to resolve any issue. Citizens and PMC must
work together, and that is the key to good governance," Khot said.
In stark
contrast, politicians have shown little interest in involving citizens in civic
works.
"A
majority of politicians want to keep people in the dark," said Siddharth
Dhende, who is the only Pune corporator to organize regular area sabhas to
involve citizens in the planning and execution of projects at the ward level.
In fact, it
was a citizens' movement which forced the civic body and state government to
open up the metro project plan to the people. The project went under public
scrutiny even as the state tried rush the project through.
"When
civic officers were putting forward facts and figures to show that the project
is infeasible, citizens presented a detailed study to the PMC and the
state," said Aneeta Gokhale-Benninger, a member of the Green Pune
Movement.
Citizens'
groups are also working with the PMC to improve quality of education in civic
schools. "We are working with housing societies and civic groups to
resolve the garbage issues. Citizens have actively supported the PMC in its
efforts. There is a long way to go, but with citizens and PMC joining hands, I
am confident we will reach a sustainable solution," said Rajendra Jagtap,
the head of PMC's solid waste department.
Groups like
Sajag Nagrik Manch, Nagrik Chetana Manch, Surajya Sangharsh Samiti have
repeatedly objected to elected representatives making domestic and foreign
trips in the name of study tours. These groups have also sought reports from
corporators who went on such tours. Ahead of this month's, the Parivartan
organization has published a report card of corporators, with the belief that
only close scrutiny will hold elected representatives accountable.
"As
concepts, participation and citizen engagement focus on the idea that involving
stakeholders in decision-making about their communities and broader social
issues has important social, economic and political benefits," states the
United Nations' Economic and Social Council note.
Pune's
citizens have set an example of citizen engagement.
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