COMMUNITY – State plans ‘urban panchayats’

BY NEXT year, you could have a greater say in your neighbourhood civic
affairs. The state’s Urban Development Department (UDD) is drafting the
Community Participation Act, which will put you at the centre of what’s on
in your local ward.

The law seeks to institutionalise citizens’ participation in civic areas
like roads, garbage collection, prioritising budgetary spending. Under the
Act, every civic polling booth or a maximum of five will form an Area Sabha,
all residents of which, will be members of the Area Level Committee, led by
an elected representative (nec essarily a resident of that area).

“In the coming week, there is a meeting with the BMC for a feedback on this
reform. It will be put up before the cabinet in the coming two months,” said
T.C. Benjamin, principal secretary, UDD. Benjamin added, “The Area Level
Committees will play a supportive and informative role in civic governance.”
Citizen activists, however, point out that the reform is easier said than
done.

“This concept of area sabhas will not work in a city like Mumbai. Citizens
would not want to opt for elections and here it will give way to anoth er
8,000-odd petty politi cians,” said Vinay So mani, founder of the NGO
Karmayog.

Somani pointed out that the BMC’s notification of 2,000 city areas with
separate citi zens charter was a better idea because it allowed informal
selection of interested citizens and weeded out politics.
However, Adolf D’ Souza, the city’s first citizen corporator from Juhu said,
“The law is the need of the hour. The citizen participation at present is
informal and even whimsical. Unless citizens are willing to participate,
even stand for elections there is no way out.”

The law is a mandatory reform under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission, which provides Central funding for urban development
projects. The bill will be tabled in the winter session of the state
legislature.
ketaki.ghoge@hindustantimes.com

Publication : HT; Section : Metro; Pg : 6; Date : 22/8/07
URL :
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=22_08_2007_006_005&typ=0&pub=264