NGO wants to evaluate corporators through RTI

Times of India‎: Mumbai: Tuesday, September 20, 2016.

Instead of waiting for political parties to publish their progress reports ahead of the BMC elections, Marathi Abhyas Kendra, an NGO, has published a book, My Ward-My Corporator, to encourage citizens to come out and evaluate the work done by their civic representatives through the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

In a pilot project, the RTI wing of Marathi Abhyas Kendra obtained information about MNS corporator Hemlata Wange and the work done by her in the last four years.

Anand Bhandare, a member of the group and resident of Wange's ward, said, "The report is a product of seven RTI applications and the information available on the BMC website. Getting information through RTI is an easy thing but it requires a lot of patience on the part of the applicant. We want people to replicate it to understand the work done by their corporators."

The report said that the the MNS corporator has not tabled a single resolution at the civic general body. The corporator was evaluated in the 296 meetings. Her attendance came down to 39% in March 2016 from 56% in April 2012. In special meetings held too, Wange is learned to have initiated a resolution to name a lane as Abhyas Galli.

As far as funds are concerned, 27% of funds remained unutilized, while Rs 1.55 crore has been spent of footpath renovation, the NGO's report said.