People POWER

People POWER
POINT 15: Involve civic groups in urban planning so that their knowledge of local problems is fully utilised
R Krishnakumar | TNN


With a new, expanded Bangalore in place, the city’s sphere of issues has also expanded. The 28 new legislators have their task cut out on stemming the old problems and preventing their replication in the newlyadded areas. The responsibility, though, works better when shared. The thousands of residents welfare associations (RWAs) across the city are ready to take a bigger role — to partner the government in making life in the city better — but the key concern is that they are still being denied the stage.
As the government and the people continue to be on two sides of the issues, sitting on their own sets of vision statements and development plans, the mismatch becomes even more palpable, point out representatives of RWAs and civic groups. If the Bangalore residents’ wish-list for the new government is thinned down to a two-point formula, that could be transparency in administration and development in consultation with the people. For now, that remains a wish-list.
When the government doesn’t act, the residents can. At least, stray examples of resident activism show that there’s a way forward. The agenda for the future, according to the RWAs and civic groups, has to be one based on a people-centric model. For starters, the resident groups have to look beyond the microlevel programmes initiated for the local communities or the constituencies and shift the accent to the big picture: of greater civic awareness and an inclusive, participatory model of development. Representatives of RWAs in the city point out that their initiatives will continue to fail in making an impact as long as the administration is not open to change and debate.
Activists cite the example of Vote Bengaluru — an initiative taken up by different NGOs including Civic Bangalore — to increase the voting percentage in Bangalore in the recent assembly election, while highlighting the nonchalance with which the government agencies approach citizens’ initiatives. They point out that flaws in the voters’ list were conveyed to the officials concerned but there was no positive response to the concerns.
The recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee for the development of Bangalore continue to be on the deliberation table but inputs and value-additions to the ideas proposed by the resident groups in different forums have not been taken into account. The RWAs also underline the perception among some of the government officials that civic groups spell “trouble’’. After long years of being on the sidelines of “development’’ that happen right in their neighbourhoods, many RWAs have resigned to addressing their immediate concerns; developing neighbourhood parks, generating internal resources to fix minor infrastructure issues and preparing the customary charters of demands to the officials who matter. The wait after the charters, though, remains unchanged.
The official perception of resident activism is shifting, as some of the recent opposition to misguided infrastructure projects has underlined. Right from the neighbourhood underpasses to mega-budget state highways, the projects have run into protests from the affected citizen. The government officials try to explain the other side, highlighting how residents, at times, can’t endorse a greater social good and are still stuck with concerns over their property and interests. A start to the balancing act could be in, at least, bringing the people to the discussion table.
The RTI edge
The Right To Information (RTI) has emerged as an important tool for the socially active citizen, who continues to corner erring officialdom and pushes for a quicker redressal mechanism. The follow-up action on the officials who have been brought under the scanner continues to be an area of concern, but RTI activists in the city reason that the germ of the change is enough to take the fight forward.
Members of RTI groups in Bangalore swear by the Act and say that coupled with the crackdowns of the Lok Ayukta, RTI had instilled that never-before fear in the minds of the erring and corrupt officials in government departments and agencies. The awareness of the potential of RTI is an area with scope for improvement. But with various new RTI groups emerging in the scene, the questions are set to get louder. The answers, hopefully, will follow.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com
The civic way AHEAD
Efforts to highlight needs of the urban poor Better involvement of residents in RWA activities
Greater co-operation between RWAs and MLAs Periodic interaction with government representatives Greater awareness on RTI Open debates involving residents before development projects Measures to ensure greater voting percentage Efforts to take initiatives like citizen’s budgets to the forePeople POWER
POINT 15: Involve civic groups in urban planning so that their knowledge of local problems is fully utilised
R Krishnakumar | TNN


With a new, expanded Bangalore in place, the city’s sphere of issues has also expanded. The 28 new legislators have their task cut out on stemming the old problems and preventing their replication in the newlyadded areas. The responsibility, though, works better when shared. The thousands of residents welfare associations (RWAs) across the city are ready to take a bigger role — to partner the government in making life in the city better — but the key concern is that they are still being denied the stage.
As the government and the people continue to be on two sides of the issues, sitting on their own sets of vision statements and development plans, the mismatch becomes even more palpable, point out representatives of RWAs and civic groups. If the Bangalore residents’ wish-list for the new government is thinned down to a two-point formula, that could be transparency in administration and development in consultation with the people. For now, that remains a wish-list.
When the government doesn’t act, the residents can. At least, stray examples of resident activism show that there’s a way forward. The agenda for the future, according to the RWAs and civic groups, has to be one based on a people-centric model. For starters, the resident groups have to look beyond the microlevel programmes initiated for the local communities or the constituencies and shift the accent to the big picture: of greater civic awareness and an inclusive, participatory model of development. Representatives of RWAs in the city point out that their initiatives will continue to fail in making an impact as long as the administration is not open to change and debate.
Activists cite the example of Vote Bengaluru — an initiative taken up by different NGOs including Civic Bangalore — to increase the voting percentage in Bangalore in the recent assembly election, while highlighting the nonchalance with which the government agencies approach citizens’ initiatives. They point out that flaws in the voters’ list were conveyed to the officials concerned but there was no positive response to the concerns.
The recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee for the development of Bangalore continue to be on the deliberation table but inputs and value-additions to the ideas proposed by the resident groups in different forums have not been taken into account. The RWAs also underline the perception among some of the government officials that civic groups spell “trouble’’. After long years of being on the sidelines of “development’’ that happen right in their neighbourhoods, many RWAs have resigned to addressing their immediate concerns; developing neighbourhood parks, generating internal resources to fix minor infrastructure issues and preparing the customary charters of demands to the officials who matter. The wait after the charters, though, remains unchanged.
The official perception of resident activism is shifting, as some of the recent opposition to misguided infrastructure projects has underlined. Right from the neighbourhood underpasses to mega-budget state highways, the projects have run into protests from the affected citizen. The government officials try to explain the other side, highlighting how residents, at times, can’t endorse a greater social good and are still stuck with concerns over their property and interests. A start to the balancing act could be in, at least, bringing the people to the discussion table.
The RTI edge
The Right To Information (RTI) has emerged as an important tool for the socially active citizen, who continues to corner erring officialdom and pushes for a quicker redressal mechanism. The follow-up action on the officials who have been brought under the scanner continues to be an area of concern, but RTI activists in the city reason that the germ of the change is enough to take the fight forward.
Members of RTI groups in Bangalore swear by the Act and say that coupled with the crackdowns of the Lok Ayukta, RTI had instilled that never-before fear in the minds of the erring and corrupt officials in government departments and agencies. The awareness of the potential of RTI is an area with scope for improvement. But with various new RTI groups emerging in the scene, the questions are set to get louder. The answers, hopefully, will follow.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com
The civic way AHEAD
Efforts to highlight needs of the urban poor Better involvement of residents in RWA activities
Greater co-operation between RWAs and MLAs Periodic interaction with government representatives Greater awareness on RTI Open debates involving residents before development projects Measures to ensure greater voting percentage Efforts to take initiatives like citizen’s budgets to the fore