Press
- The Citizens'
charter, a 26-page booklet, is aimed at helping people air their
grievances and get solutions to civic problems
BMC, Praja
empower Mumbaiites in fight against civic woes
Rosy Sequeria
& Vijay Singh
Indian Express
Newsline, June 06, 1999
Citizens' Charter,
a unique multi-agency endeavour involving the BMC, voluntary organisations
and the media was launched today to empower the citizen by providing
information to know and access civic amenities in a better manner.
The Charter,
a 26-page booklet that lits the rights of the citizen vis-a-vis
the civic body, was released by Chief Minister Narayan Rane at the
packed Birla Kreeda Kendra, Chowpatty, making it the first time
that such an intitiative has been taken anywhere in the country.
The charter,
which comprehensively guides the people on how to go about with
their complaints and get quick redressal from the BMC, is a combined
effort of the BMC and Praja, a non-profit NGO, along with The Indian
Express. The booklet will soon be distributed along with the Indian
Express and its other group publications.
"The charter
is not in your praise but shows the corporators' shortcomings.
The very fact that such a booklet has to be launched only indicates
the deficiencies and loopholes in the BMC. In the 125 years
of the BMC is this the first time that such an initiative has been
taken? Was it not there before?" Rane pointed out reminding the
elected representatives that it was their duty to inform and redress
grievances. Mayor Hareshwar Patil, Deputy Mayor Ram Barot,
Municipal Commissioner K Nalinakshan, former cabinet secretary B
G Deshmukh and eminent jurist Nani Palkhiwala, were amongst those
who attended the release of the charter.
It is
not just the top bureaucracy and the elected representatives who
have pledged their support for the charter: a willing participant
was the strong BMC union. The Kamgar Sanghatna leader, Digambar
Satnam assured everybody the Sanghatna and the Municipal Mazdoor
Union would help in every possible way to make the Charter a success.
Rane stated
that 1.25 crore large public of Mumbai would definitely be able
to find better solutions to their civic probalems with the launch
of this charter, which even provides the phone numbers of all the
ward officers and deputy municipal commissioners who they should
approach.
" It's
my dream to see Mumbai as clean as Singapore in the next ten years;
but to achiee that the municipal councillors will have to work harder
to serve the people's cause and the bureaucracy has to be more supportive,"
said Rane.
Giving
an example of Canada, where over 98 per cent of the poele pay taxes
on the understanding that "more taxes meant better amentities",
Rane criticised the BMC for having an almost opposite approach in
Mumbai. "Here the corporators themselves oppose taxes as they
are scared that the people will not vote for them the next time!"
he remarked.
Municipal
commissioner K Nalinakshan stated that the two main aims of thecharter
would be to provide information of the necessary civic services
and how the public can effectively utilise it.
" Because
of hte charter now you will know that garbage from your locality
has to be collected within 24 hours, burst water pipeline has to
be repaired 24 hours, burst water pipeline has to be repaired in
24 hours, burst water pipeline has to be repaired in 24 hours, and
that a new water connection can be sought in 30 days time limit,
and so on," he informed.
B G Deshmukh,
former cabinet secretary and chairman of the Tata Council for Community
Initiatives observed: " The Citizens' Charter is a two-way commitment
Charter is a two-way commitment that will bind the civic authorities
with people."
Nitai
Mehta, one of the founder-members of Praja complimented the BMC
For its whole hearted Support : We had their full support for the
Charter. In fact, we had to change the Charter over ten times
to make it through."
In his
address, the mayor Hareshwar Patil siad that in the past one year
over 25000 letters have been addressed to the mayor's office with
various grienvances. "Basically the people do not know where
exactly to complain. Soon we will set up 16 ward committees
to take up local issues and problems," he said.
Charter
is key
The Charter
has 11 sections on BMC. While describing the work of each
department, the charter informs on how soon the concerned ward officer
should respond to your complaint. It tells you which official
should be contacted at what time and also lists telephone numbers
of all the 23 ward officers and teh deputy municipal commissioner
of all the 6 zones (with the precise addresses and appointment hours).
The charter also guides you step-by-step on how to go about with
the complaint procedure, complete with the 'complaint form'.
And if this too fails to catch BMC's attention, then Praja will
step in and meet the officials. The very thought of going
to a BMC office, will now hopefully not conjure pictures of lethargic
babus and curt officials. The key to BMC is now in teh charter.
And, soon, in your hands. For further information, clal Praja
at : Tel: 2188865, Fax : 2185739 or e-mail: prajafoundation@hotmail.com
or visit:
http://www.praja.org
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