[Urbanstudy] Making Our Neighbourhoods Safe For Our Children | Environment Support Group

[ESG India]

Dear All,

There is a valid argument that the existing law mandating Constitution of Ward Cmts, pursuant to ESG’s legal efforts in Kar HC (in WP 46523/2012), is flawed.  The process of constituting Ward Cmts and its process of functioning, as determined by conforming law is flawed. It is an admitted fact that what is now in law is not what was anticipated in the Constitutional 74th Amendment (Nagarpalika) Act, 1992.

However, in response to arguments we advanced in Kar HC, Ward Cmts are constituted. The folks on board may not be to our liking or may be from “questionable” backgrounds, as some have been alleging.  But how does one decide who is worth the post and who not? We simply don’t have a culture and system that helps bring Right people into power.  A beginning has to be made to transform this situation.

At ESG we view this situation as an opportunity to ensure WCs begin working despite all its flaws.   However, it’s a system that needs to be made to work to demonstrate and expose its flaws,  so, with constant public pressure and scrutiny, its functioning can be improved .  The imperative, of course, is the critical importance of public pressure in this transformation.

To build such pressure, we have started a process of working with local concerns, responding to in situ challenges every Ward faces, and that by involving all local WC members and the Corporator, and also drawing on necessary intellectual resources that are abundantly available in the city, and finally to contextualise responses to tackle local concerns and enable systemic responses to evolve by involving requisite officials locally.

In Ward 198, the last Ward numerically and in many other respects too, a serious local concern has been child sexual abuse.  The workshop we are organising on Saturday is to primarily address this concern. Enfold and it’s lawyer G V Ashok and Suja Sukumaran have stepped up to address this critical concern at ESG’s request.  We do hope this will have a substantial impact on the way this serious crime is acknowledged, discussed and addressed.  Essentially the hope is it to create a safe and secure neighbourhood for kids, and thus for everyone. (Details at this link: http://www.esgindia.org/education/community-outreach/events/making-our-neighbourhoods-safe-our-child.html)

Since we would have gathered the local Cmty to address this critical concern, we also hope to address other major local concerns.

I invite fellow researchers/activists to participate in this process and help us take this ground up strategy forward, and make it systemic to all wards.  Do please confirm if you could help document/critique this process.  Senior BBMP doctors and Blore Metro officials will be present, and are interested in this process and willing to learn from this.

Perhaps, working in this manner, we can also take up planning the City with ground up visioning and discussions held across this city. Why allow some folks in Vidhana/Vikas SOUDHA, or some Consultants, to decide how we shape our city and how we live?

With all its flaws, having a WC functioning and addressing such concerns, is possibly a ginger step towards deeper democratisation of Civic management, governance and urban planning.  

Reports of similar efforts undertaken by ESG in collaboration with organisations can be accessed here, organised thematically.

Ward cmt:
http://www.esgindia.org/sites/default/files/education/community-outreach/events/Report_Workshop_Ward_Cmt_Formation_160113.doc
And
http://www.esgindia.org/sites/default/files/education/community-outreach/events/Note%20on%20Estb%20of%20Ward%20Committees.doc

People’s Manifesto:

http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/bbmp/press/peoples-manifesto-bangalore-civic-electi.html

Public involvement in decision making:

http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/press/public-consultation-must-planning-and-bu.html

Public Infrastructure Development: 

We look forward to your help, criticisms and support.

Public access to Civic information:

http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/hasire-usiru/resources/hasire-usiru-campaign-reclaim-bangalores.html-6

Looking forward to your support and cooperation.

Leo





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Leo F. Saldanha
Environment Support Group
1572, Ring Road, Banashankari II Stage
Bangalore 560070. INDIA
WEB: www.esgindia.org
Tel:+91-80-26713559~61
Fax: +91-80-26713316
Cell: +91-9448377403
Email: leosaldanha at esgindia.org



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Environment Support Group
1572, Ring Road, Banashankari II Stage
Bangalore 560070. INDIA
WEB: www.esgindia.org
Tel:+91-80-26713559~61
Fax: +91-80-26713316
https://m.facebook.com/groups/93728320253
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