Open House: Instead of stone-laying spree, shouldn’t politicians focus on completing pending works?

People of the holy city are facing civic issues like overflowing sewerage, garbage dumps, potholes and faulty street lights in spite of the fact that four agencies like the Amritsar Improvement Trust, Amritsar Smart City Ltd, Amritsar Development Authority and Amritsar Municipal Corporation are working in this direction. Moreover, highly paid officers and assistant staff with plenty of funds at their disposal are there to provide civic facilities to the general public. Above all, the government collects taxes under different heads to provide such services to the people. In addition to this, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the state government and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) also play a significant role in maintenance of roads. This indifferent attitude is not there in case of rule of any particular political party. This is the general tendency of all political outfits. Because for us, democracy means simply voting once in five years, whereas our vigilant citizens and NGOs should regularly monitor the working of the above said agencies deputed for civic issues. During election time, when political parties bring out huge hoardings, people should come out with similar hoardings depicting the photographs of garbage dumps, overflowing sewers etc. We should come out in the open to show the candidates their report card when they come door-to-door for canvassing. This is the only way to improve the present deplorable condition.

Naresh Johar

Status quo likely to continue

The spic and span, photogenic look of metropolitan cities like London or New York reflects the efficiency of the municipal authorities there. On the other hand, newspapers regularly carry the comments of city residents on the questionable maintenance of municipal services like clean and level roads, regular supply of potable drinking water, street lights, sewerage etc in Amritsar, but in vain. One must not be oblivious of the fact that it is a Herculean task and needs round-the-clock care and effort, and the Municipal Corporation of Amritsar is leaving no stone unturned to deliver the goods Unfortunately, the ground reality is marked by open manholes, overflowing sewers and potholed roads, recent layering of roads notwithstanding. The absence of a formal General House of the Municipal Corporation for over a year seems to have worsened the situation and no one feels concerned over it. Meanwhile, politicians who matter are busy in deciding which party to join and which to ditch in the coming Lok Sabha elections. All sense of morality or ethics have been tossed out of the window. Impossible promises are made here and there, but one must thank the Municipal Commissioner who is steering the civic services in these stormy circumstances. There is no word about restoring BRTS buses from any quarter. Unfortunately, residents are seen to be totally irresponsible in local governance. Plastic bags are back with a bang and are the main reason behind choked and overflowing sewers. Perhaps, the situation serves the interests of some sanitation staff also. With limited budget allocations and no new taxes, in face of the fact that three-fourths of the budget goes into paying salaries, the Municipal Corporation of Amritsar is not in a position to meet the high expectations of the people. Hence, there is little likelihood of any visible change in the municipal scene, in the foreseeable future.

Prof Mohan Singh

Ensure quality over quantity

Relevant questions have been raised in these columns which are relevant for citizens in today’s era. Since Independence, all politicians of our country are on a stone-laying spree for development projects undertaken by them whereas these have proven to be hollow claims of achievements because of the harsh fact that development works as boasted by them are only temporary in nature. For instance, road works are being completed on a large scale but what is the utility when quality is ignored in carrying out such works as in a few months, numerous potholes will pop up on new roads. Even so many years after Independence, our politicians have not realised the fact that their priorities should always be to remain focused on completing pending works and accord importance to quality of work rather than quantity. They should have realised the fact that the general public is only concerned about quality of works. They should not have succumbed to quantity over quality. As is evident, the general public is very much annoyed and disappointed with politicians over poor civic situation faced by them. Much practical work needs to be done by our politicians to regain the lost confidence of public. For this, the politicians can take the help of expert professionals and ensure quality over quantity.

Sanjay Chawla

Sense of drift in civic affairs

Our city is going through the worst phase of civic chaos where the administration has even stopped responding to the complaints of citizens. The administration appears to have accepted total failure, free of consequential responsibility and accountability. The residents appear to be absolutely helpless and are left to pray for a stop to further deterioration. However, the most tragic is the fact that city politicians, both at the Centre and in state have closed their eyes to unfortunate happenings and are busy in manipulating their share in political power. Given the present conditions, no candidate of any political party including AAP, deserves even a single vote from any city resident. The people should prepare themselves to boycott the ensuing General Election to give a clear message of utter frustration with all political leaders. The city residents need to be united, irrespective of political affiliations, to bring revolutionary changes in the government’s strategy towards solving all major problems being faced for a long time without any enduring solution.

Jagdish Chander

Harness technology, create time-bound plans

In Punjab, 37.5 per cent of the population lives in urban areas. Although urbanisation is beneficial, it also leads to issues such as clogged sewers, overflowing garbage dumps, reduced green spaces, potholed roads, and frequent traffic jams. The lack of capable leadership and some half-baked educated self-centred citizens exacerbate these problems. To solve such issues, it is necessary to create a specific time-bound plan. This can be achieved through innovative Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and instruments, like municipal bonds. Potential investors should identify suitable sectors and projects, such as water supply, urban transport, and solid waste management, and assess the underlying risks and returns. Some other projects, like road carpeting and sewerage systems, can be funded by government grants. For PPP projects, appointing specialist advisors and transparent contracts that outline risk-sharing between the municipality and the private sector is essential. Municipal bonds require identifying the underlying asset or project, credit rating of the instrument, and appointing merchant bankers and other specialists. Successful quality projects need extensive support from key stakeholders in the state government and dedicated teams of city officials. Finally, technology could also play a significant role in smart planning being used to harness solar energy, allure water harvesting, and alleviate traffic congestion within a specific time. On the other hand, it is equally essential for citizens to follow civic discipline by keeping sewers clean, maintaining newly built roads, following traffic rules, adhering to parking etiquette, and preserving green spaces. This two-pronged strategy can help provide a better quality of life for every urban resident.

Dr Kulwant Singh Phull

Report unfinished works on website

The current government of Punjab had made several promises to residents upon coming to power, vowing to fulfill its duties and responsibilities towards the state. However, there seems to be a growing concern in society that the government is falling short of delivering on its promises. Many residents have reported dissatisfaction with the performance of the government, citing a lack of concrete action on several issues. Although the government claims to develop Punjab, the common man on ground zero is facing civic issues such as potholed roads, overflowing sewage and enormous garbage dumps on streets. Of particular concern is the frequent announcement of new schemes and initiatives, many of which seem to be forgotten or poorly executed once the next one is introduced. This has resulted in a sense of frustration among the citizens who were looking forward to a more effective and efficient administration. The only solution to this is the formation of a government wing called the “facilitator wing”. This honest government-formed body should have the task of managing and keeping track of all the promises and programmes introduced by the government to be done on time and make reminders to the associated officials to act. It should also have the power to penalise the officials who do not perform their duties when required. This can prove to be quite an effective way of avoiding circumstances of revolt or loss of faith in government. Another digital solution is to make an app/website for the masses to report all their grudges and unfinished works of the government in the form of a survey questionnaire. After checking the authenticity of the request, the facilitator wing should inquire about the issue and notify the government about the report to rectify it.

Lakshit Jindal

Focus on completion of pending works

While development of infrastructure is a significant factor for quantum growth, harping on quality over quantity is paramount for sustainable progress. In the pursuit to gain electoral favours, politicians make ludicrous promises and often run after laying stones for new projects while the work on ongoing projects is less cared for. As a result, many civic issues get ignored amongst which overflowing sewers, garbage dumps, broken roads and potholed streets are of major concern in almost all cities. While mud and silt in rainwater usually chokes the disposal outlets due to faulty sewerage system, the overflowing dirty water enters the houses and roads located nearby. The residents of these areas are badly affected because of poor hygiene and foul smelling garbage, whereas the commuters too have to face severe ordeals travelling on waterlogged roads and streets. Ironically, during the cleaning of blocked sewers, sanitation workers leave the heaps of garbage piled up there, which lends a dirty look to the environment besides an outbreak of several viral diseases. At many places, uncovered sewerage gutters and broken roads owing to poor quality and stagnant water take a heavy toll of human lives every year. Despite all this, the construction standards are blatantly compromised by the contractors in connivance with the officials of public works. The conditions in unorganised colonies are the worst where desperate residents even face more hazards. To overcome the problems, proper quality and safety audit must be conducted before issuing completion certificate of any project. Invariably, the work tenders ought to be incorporated with suitable maintenance-after-completion clause, while the supervising officials should be held squarely responsible for any malpractices or carelessness. Better it would be to involve local RWAs during execution of any civil work to ensure that there is no compromise on quality of construction. At the same time, the government will have to be strict against unauthorised urbanisation and illegal encroachments. Not the least, regular upkeep of the existing amenities is essential while the stone-laying spree only for mere publicity should be avoided. Above all, while undertaking any new development activity, various sanitation facilities like water discharge outlets, disposal of garbage and STPs must require due priority for the safety of human lives and environmental protection.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Ensure regular cleaning of sewers

The political leaders are on a stone-laying spree for the reason that this would cease once the Model Code of Conduct is announced by the Election Commission of India for parliamentary elections. As during the implementation of Model Code of Conduct, the stone laying will come to a halt making it impossible for the politicians to lay stones of development works. The political leaders are highlighting their post-election achievements without caring for the funds from the state exchequer or the availability of matching grants. As a number of past works are still pending, the most important task is of tackling potholes which need immediate attention, making a ride by two-wheelers and four-wheelers bumpy. The political leaders should focus on the completion of works being carried out at present on priority basis and finding a solution for future garbage dumps where ever they are to be constructed. Similarly, many sewer lines are not as per their capacity at present. When these sewer lines were laid, the population of the city was limited and the proposals were made keeping in mind the contemporary format of the internal city. With manifold increase in population, the need of the time is to ensure regular cleaning of sewerage chambers.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Complete projects in fixed timeframe

It is a sad fact that politicians often go on a stone-laying spree before elections. The exercise has almost become a ritual. Our leaders carry out this futile exercise to win votes. Once the elections are over, the projects promised by the politicians gather dust and die a slow death. Mildew-covered and broken slabs with names of politicians inscribed on them bear a testimony to the fact that stone-laying ceremonies are motivated by elections. The only way to discourage the practice is to bring it within the ambit of law. The law should state that no one can inaugurate a new project unless the projects whose stones were laid earlier are completed. Anyone who violates it should be banned from contesting elections at least for three years. Politicians should also understand that stone-laying useless exercise can fetch votes once or twice, but it cannot keep them in power for long. Secondly, there should be a need-based inauguration of projects. Announcements of unnecessary projects should be avoided. Funds should be reserved for meaningful projects only. All parties should make it a point that once a project is announced, it must be completed within a fixed time-frame.

Prof Rajan Kapoor

QUESTION FOR NEXT WEEK

Dates for the Lok Sabha elections have been announced. Parties will now start campaigning and seek votes. What are the issues leaders should work upon and resolve at the earliest in the city?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to [email protected]  by Thursday (March 21)

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