How our representatives should be?
For what purpose do we elect our representatives? What qualities of a candidate do we consider when we put stamp of vote in front of his name? These are very basic questions indeed. And one may say that India is now 59 years old and why Sakaal is asking these questions? The reason for the concern over these basic things is the results of the first civic survey conducted by Sakaal. The results of survey indicate that while selecting their corporators, the Punekars have placed 'Ability to get things done' ahead of other important things like 'Knowledge of law'. There is a very good example about this - hawkers occupy the foot-paths. The corporators overtly or covertly allow this. The citizens in the area are happy now because they don't have to go to a vegetable market at more distance. Seemingly everybody is happy. but is it really a happy end of a story? NO. Footpaths are meant to be used by those who walk. Footpaths are occupied by hawkers, corporators support them, administration is silent and the buyers (not all citizens!) are happy. Then those who walk, walk on roads. The vehicles which should ply on roads then get very narrow stretch of road to travel. What in effect happens is traffic jams, accidents, pollution, strain on traffic police division, corruption at each signal, mass signal breaking - in short CHAOS.
Who is responsible for this? Can't the buyers go a little longer to the market to buy things? Can't the corporators tell the hawkers that rules are important than convenience of a few? What is role of corporators? Is 'educating people' one of their responsibilty? How many corporators have actually called the meeting and told their voters what Bus Rapid Transit is and what are its implications? In this scenario, we, the people-are we performing our basic duties thoughtfully?
4 comments:
The first criteria i would put is he must know the society which he is representing He should know the economics the history the sociology the psychology of the people of his surroundings. He can not afford to be unaware of the present of the people. Only these things will lead him to think in a right direction about the future of the society. And whohas a vision for better tomorrow can only be the right leader.
AFTER SEEING THE BEHAVIOUR & ARROGANCE OF SOME OF THE CORPORATORS,WHO ARE PART OF A LARGER CLIQUE CONTROLLED BY A POLITICAL PARTY & IT’S PARTISAN & MOSTLY NON CARING HIGHER LEADERS LIKE AN MP OR MLAS,I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THE INSTITUTION OF ‘NAGARSEVAKS’ SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.THIS IS BECAUSE THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION HAS ENOUGH OFFICIALS & STAFF INCLUDING AN IAS COMMISSIONER,WHO PROBABLY WILL BE ABLE TO DO A FAR BETTER JOB IF THERE IS NO HINDRANCE & INTERFERENCE IN THEIR DAY TO DAY ADMINISTRATION/RUNNING BY SOME OF THESE CORPORATORS OR THEIR PARTIES.
OF COURSE,WHILE MAKING SUCH A FAR REACHING STATEMENT,I MUST ADMIT THAT THERE STILL ARE VERY FEW SINCERE,CARING & HARD WORKING CORPORATORS(one EXAMPLE MRS.JYOTSNA SARDESHPANDE),WHO CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY IN A QUIET POSITIVE MANNER TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY’S INFRASTRUCTURE,HAVE THEIR EARS OPEN TO THE CITIZENS’ WOES.
BUT BY & LARGE,THE FLOCK OF SHEEP IS GREEDY,UNCARING,INTERESTED IN 'VIKAS' OF ONLY THEIR SELVES,THEIR PARTY MEMBERS & RELATIVES BY GRABBING ALL LUCRATIVE CONTRACTS,WHERE THE SCARCE RESOURCES COLLECTED FROM THE PUBLIC ARE SQUANDERED AWAY IN A BRAZEN MANNER ON SO CALLED DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS,WHERE PROBABLY NOT EVEN 30 OR 40 % OF THE MONEY REACHES THE ACTUAL ROAD OR FOOTPATH SURFACE OR THE DERELICT PMT.
HOW ELSE CAN THE CITIZENS IN THEIR RIGHT MIND ACCEPT THE ALREADY PASSED PROPOSAL TO RAISE THE MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS IN PUNE FROM HITHERTOFORE EXISTING 36 METRES TO 100 METRES?WHY THE CORPORATORS NEVER OBJECTED TO THIS RIDICULOUS PROPOSAL DESPITE ITS FUTURE SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS & ADVERSE IMPACT ON CITY’S ALREADY CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE ROADS,TRAFFIC CONGESTION,LACK OF PARKING SPACES,WATER SHORTAGE,EXCESS PER SQ.KM POPULATION ETC ETC?SUCH HIGH RISE BUILDINGS ARE PERMITTED ONLY IN ISLAND CITIES LIKE MUMBAI,NEW YORK,SINGAPORE,WHERE THEIR AREAS HAVE NO SCOPE FOR HORIZONTAL EXPANSION.BUT PUNE HAS NO SUCH AREA CONSTRAINTS ESPECIALLY AFTER SWALLOWING LARGE AREAS OF 23 FRINGE VILLAGES!
BUT THEN THE MUCH MISUSED TDR & ENCROACHMENTS ON HILL SLOPES & TOPS ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF CLEVER MANIPULATION BY & BENEFITTING THE UNHOLY NEXUS BETWEEN RULING CORPORATORS & LOBBY OF BUILDERS!!!!!!!!SLUMS HAVE AN FSI OF 2.5 FOR RECONSTRUCTION/REHABILITATION,BUT PART OF THIS TOO IS TRANSFERRED & MISUSED BY FEW BUILDERS TO ADD BUILDABLE FSI OF HIGH RISE BUILDINGS IN POSH AREAS FETCHING LUCRATIVE RETURNS!
OF COURSE,THE COMMON CITIZEN HASSLED IN DAILY MUNDANE MATTERS & NEGOTIATING BACK BREAKING ROADS IS MOSTLY UNAWARE OF THESE BRILLIANT BEHIND THE SCENE TACTICS OF THE CORPORATORS & THEIR PARTIES & IS GIVEN REGULAR DARSHAN OF THESE NAGARSEVAKS & THEIR MOSTLY UNKNOWN HORDES OF SUPPORTERS ON BANNERS ADVERTISING THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS,WISHING THEIR OWN LEADERS HAPPY BIRTHDAYS OR WHEN ELECTIONS ARE ROUND THE CORNER,BY WISHING HAPPY DIWALI OR EID MUBARAK OR NEW YEAR TO THE MOSTLY UNSUSPECTING & GULLIBLE PUBLIC!
AN OCCASIONAL PROTEST BY WELL MEANING EXPERIENCED CRUSADERS LIKE SHRI.MOHAN DHARIA SEES EVEN THE PMC COMMISSIONER OR MAYOR VISITING & APPEASING HIM AT HOME WITH PROMISES.DIRECTIVE BY THE HIGH COURT TO REPAIR ROADS COUPLED WITH IMMINENT ELECTIONS SEES SUDDEN FLURRY OF MOST UNMETHODICAL & USELESS REPAIR ACTIVITY ON THE POTHOLED ROADS WITH PROMISES BY THE LEADERS OF CITIZEN’S DREAMS COMING TRUE IN 2 YEARS & THE SO CALLED DISGUSTED(?),BUT PUBLICITY HUNGRY SEEKING MAYOR THREATENING NOT TO USE HER BRAND NEW TOYOTA COROLLA FOR 4 DAYS!BUT THEN MOST CORPORATORS & THEIR HIGHER PARTY LEADERS KNOW THAT THEIR VOTES WILL NOT COME FROM THE HIGHER/MIDDLE CLASS & THE EDUCATED,MANY OF WHOM SHUN THE ELECTIONS,BUT FROM THE REST,WHO ARE GIVEN ENOUGH INCENTIVES INCLUDING THE CARROT & STICK METHOD BY THE ‘DADAS’ TO GARNER ENOUGH VOTES TO ENSURE A VICTORY FOR THE PARTY SHAMELESSLY DESIRING TO HOIST THE FLAG ONCE AGAIN ON THE HELPLESS & DILAPIDATED EDIFICE OF P.M.C.
THE MOST CONCERNED & RESPECTED SAKAL TODAY PUBLISHED THE FINDINGS OF AN OPINION SURVEY TODAY,WHILE INVITING THE PUBLIC TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS ON THE BLOG.I HOPE THAT HUNDREDS WILL AVAIL OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR CONCERN/THOUGHTS ON THE BLOG IN STEAD OF JUST EXPRESSING THEM IN THE CONFINES OF THEIR HOMES BECAUSE ONLY THEN,THEIR VOICE MAY BE HEARD & HEEDED.OTHERWISE EVEN GOD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HELP THIS RUINED, BUT ONCE UPON A TIME VERY BEAUTIFUL & QUIET CITY,NOTWITHSTANDING VERY HASTILY PROPOSED SCHEMES LIKE BUS RAPID TRANSIT & OTHERS.
AGAINST THIS BACKDROP,BETTER NOT TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT ALL THAN THE MERE FUTILITY OF SUGGESTING HOW (HE OR SHE) NAGARSEVAK SHOULD BE,BECAUSE THIS WILL ONLY BE A PIPE DREAM AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!
We must see what they have done in last five years. If your life has not become easier and things are going bad to worse pls retire present nagar sevak.
Vote for some one new . All parties are same. Voting must be based on person at this level.
आमची महापालिका,आमचे नगरसेवक
जनता ओढ्त आहे ताशेरे I
नगरसेवक वाजवतात नगारे I
एके काळचे खरे नगरसेवक I
बहुंताशी झाले नगरभक्शक II
नगरसेवक बसतात अड्ड्यांत I
पुणे शहर जाउदे खड्ड्यात I
शहरात आले चिकनगुनियाचे डास I
पुणेकरांना पडला प्रदुशणाचा गळफ़ास I
घेता येइना नीट स्वासोस्वास I
नको ते कचर्याचे घाणेरडे वास I
खूप झाले आता ते बास I
मनमानीपणाचा ना तुम्हाला पास II
कोपर्या कोपर्यावर लागले पुढार्यांचे फ़लक I
त्यांच्या दिव्य कार्यांची जनतेला झलक II
निवडणुका आल्या जवळ जशा I
नगरसेवकांची उतरली नशा II
त्यांनी धरली एकच कास I
पुणे शहराचा विकास I
म्हणतात आमची आहे विकासी द्रुष्टी I
व्रुध्दींगत करु पुणे व आसपासची स्रुष्टी II
जनतेचा आता एकच ध्यास,
थांबवा आमच्या प्रिय शहराचा रहास II
सुभाष भाटे
E.& O.E.
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