Put the spirit of Mumbai to better use in the next decade
It is the dawn of a new decade. What new year resolutions would you suggest for Mumbaiites and Mumbai’s leaders?
Mumbaiites have shown their indomitable spirit time and again in the previous decade, surviving the Mumbai deluge and ghastly terror attacks.
Mumbaiites should now make the city pollution-free. If we decide to take action, we can achieve this target easily.
Barack Obama’s motto, ‘Yes, we can’, should be the mantra. It is a new dawn for our city leaders, too, who have tarnished the image of Mumbai with corruption scams. A very optimistic suggestion to all our leaders is to make Mumbai corruption-free, which is a unique category of pollution in the city.
Sumita Ghosh
Netas, stop the petty squabbles
Mumbai’s leaders need to take a vow not to bicker over petty issues of caste, religion, sons of the soil vs migrants and Marathi vs other languages.
Rather they should concentrate on giving Mumbaiites better infrastructure, affordable housing and faster and better modes of transport.
There should also be a reduction in the high entertainment taxes so that music, art and culture can flourish in the city.
Mumbaiites, meanwhile, should resolve to vote for the right candidate and party, keep the city’s good uppermost in mind.
Aanchal Shetty
We deserve a pothole-free city
Our leaders need to improve the standards of living in Mumbai and make it more affordable.
For this, power tariffs will have to be reduced, followed by BEST bus fare, and inflation. Controlling noise pollution during festivals would allow senior citizens and children to sleep in peace.
Mumbai should also become free of potholes. Redevelopment of old buildings should not lead to pressure on the existing infrastructure. NGOs should educate people on redeveloping their old buildings on their own, instead of depending on builders.
Deendayal M Lulla
We must use RTI to fight corruption
Let 2011 be the year of fighting corruption from the grassroot level and making use of the RTI in order to do this.
We also need to pledge to plant more trees, regularly check our PUC levels, and avoid smoking and spitting in public places.
Leaders should take the responsibility of providing cheaper housing and clearing out slums.
The government should take strict action against littering, while private schools should avoid fee hikes. Courtcases should be solved quickly. Hoarders and tax skippers should be dealt with firmly, and prices of essential commodities, including gas, diesel and petrol, need to be better subsidised.
Ajit Pillai
Let this be the year we end bribery
Corruption has become a way of life and it is time to eradicate it from the city and its people.
We do not realise that there is a simpler life without bribery. Currently, people don’t get jobs without paying a bribe, they don’t get their licences without a bribe, and this has spread the disease like wild fire.
We are among the most corrupt nations in the world and 2011 can be our time to break this chain. Tough action from the government and cooperation from the people is the only solution.
Bhagwan Thadani
Our leaders need more vision
A Mumbai with minimum corruption, food adulteration and water wastage, with smooth roads and less traffic jams should be the aim of every city dweller. This goal is achievable, but we need our leaders to have better vision. They must put an end to land scams and corruption and control commodity prices.
Ashalata Waghe