‘Build More Toilets Than a Freaking & Useless Clock Tower’- say Members at 1st Area Sabhas & Ward Committee Meeting
Mangaluru: MCC Civic Group members hosted their FIRST “Area Sabhas & Ward Committee” meeting at the residence of Ms Rosy D’Silva-Mallikatta, Mangaluru to discuss about the various civic issues that are haunting the Smart City Mangaluru, where sadly there are no Smart officials to rectify the problems faced by the citizens. The main aim of the MCC Civic group members to host this meeting was for the Better Future of ‘Smart City’ Mangaluru.
In forming the Area Sabha & Ward Committee, the aims of the MCC Civic group members was: To develop a functional understanding of the Area Sabhas & Ward Committees system of governance and civic issues that affect citizens in everyday life; To impart elementary skills in accessing the institutionalization of citizens participation and processes; To enable citizens to use public advocacy; To develop a cadre of dutiful citizens to strengthen and aid the local governance service delivery system by bridging the gap between people, especially the most vulnerable and by demystifying the system, spreading awareness and facilitating access.
For various reasons, even though the city is known for its high-quality human resources, but somehow it has shown a certain degree of relent in taking forward civic issues. But things have changed after a group of young civic activists led by the WhatsApp group ‘MCC Civic Group’. The group administrators Nigel Albuquerque and Er Rajendra Kumar, along with many of the group members who have been discussing on why Mangaluru city corporation did not form the ward committees despite the directives from the government, are now going forward on a fast pace by hosting meetings constantly so that more pressure could be put on the concerned officials/authorities in rectifying the many civic issues which have been putting the citizens in hardships, inconveniences etc etc.
These civic activists will start knocking at every door including the people’s representatives, the Mayor, Commissioner of Mangaluru City Corporation, Deputy Commissioner, and every concerned authority in order to get things straightened up and rectified permanently. In the meantime, The Mangalore Smart City Limited authorities have also welcomed the initiative taken up by the MCC Civic Group. They say such an initiative will help the city to grow into a smart city with the help of the people when they are involved in the planning process. With all the efforts put in by MCC Civic group/Area Sabha & Ward Committee, let’s hope that our Smart City-Mangaluru will soon have a proper and legal Area Sabhas & Ward Committees for the betterment of this growing city, where now only inefficient officials and councilors are running the show in MCC.
The FIRST Area Sabha & Ward Committee meeting was chaired by Gerard Towers and Er Rajendra Kumar, where many civic issues were highlighted, the members agreed to follow up on those issues by reminding the concerned persons and submitting memorandums frequently until the issues are rectified. Some of the civic issues highlighted and discussed during the FIRST meeting were- a deep culvert in front of Ladies Club on LHH road has been filled (even after several complaints made), which poses danger to motorists, especially two-wheeler riders; the mega Mallikatta Circle is very unscientific posing danger to pedestrians and motorists; many road dividers which are really not needed are simply waste of taxpayers money.
Pollution is on the rise in the City with buses emitting thick black smokes, and the RTO along APD Foundation having done a nataka with Pollution Awareness Month, after which there has been no action; not enough public toilets, only 5-6 E-toilets existing in a largely populated city is just a joke; there are not enough street signs for a visitor to find his destination/place; not enough dust bins in the city, MCC allowing street vendors to do their illegal business with no garbage bins; no proper planning while laying utility cables; unscientific road humps with no white stripes causing danger to two-wheeler riders and other motorists; no crack down on people smoking in the public or spitting chew juice on walls etc;- these were among few other issues raised during the meeting, and will be forwarded to the concerned authorities to look into and rectify them.
With serious interaction between the members during the meeting, everyone pledged to take civic matters seriously by having regular meetings, and follow up on the action taken. Team Mangalorean also raised a point about a photo of a person urinating which was highlighted on Whatsapp and on social media- yes, here we could blame the man for urinating, but having not enough toilets where do you expect him to pee. So blame should be also on MCC for not providing enough toilets in the city. MCC could have spent that taxpayers money wasted on the stalled Clock Tower on building a bunch of toilets, which would have benefited, men as well as women!
When you got to go, you got to go-so in time of desperate peeing situation, and with no toilets, the only place to relieve yourself is behind the bushes or against/behind a wall. Has this Whatsapp seen men peeing in large numbers, near Service bus stand. Why no one has highlighted this menace, why only about that one man who came on a Honda scooter and had to pee badly? Team Mangalorean also raised the point that posting comments on a single WhatsApp group will not serve the purpose. There is more crap on this WhatsApp page other than relevant topics pertaining to civic issues. Why even highlight about politics and other non-related issues which are not related to this WhatsApp group. Action should be taken practically and not blabbering through words on WhatsApp. Sheer waste of time and sleepless nights? The members present at the meeting agreed with the suggestions made by Team Mangalorean and said that in future comments on Area Sabha & Wards Committee WhatsApp will be monitored and kept to the limit. HOPE SO? Remember, Too much CRAP will lead you into a NAP?
Now that these bunch of active members of MCC Civic Group/ Area Sabha & Ward Committee are doing their best for the BETTER FUTURE OF SMART CITY-MANGALURU, but if there are more like-minded people out there who want to hop on this bandwagon to solve many of the pending civic issues in Mangaluru, you are most welcome to join this group. Also, energetic and dedicated women in the City can also follow in the footsteps of the lonely lady member of MCC Civic group Ms Rosy D’Silva, who is indeed a role model for those of you who want to see Mangaluru having a bright future.
Interested to join MCC Civic Group of For More Details Contact: Nigel Albuquerque 8310661880; Rajendra Kumar 9902020285