Civic activism on the rise in the absence of elected members

Citizens and civic organizations in Pune are increasingly taking to the streets to protest issues related to water, roads, traffic congestion, and other infrastructural problems. This is due to the delay in civic elections and the lack of elected members in the Pune Municipal Corporation. The civic administration claims to be actively resolving citizens' problems. However, protesters argue that their pleas for basic civic amenities have been ignored for years. Civic activism has increased in the city as a result of the delay in civic polls. The administration refutes these allegations and states that they prioritize addressing public concerns.

PUNE

Recently, thousands of residents from the Baner-Balewadi area staged a protest to express their dissatisfaction with the PMC administration and Smart City officials. (HT PHOTO)

With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) completing more than a year without any elected members and uncertainty as to when the civic elections will take place, citizens and civic organisations have been increasingly taking to the streets to protest issues related to water, roads, traffic congestion and other infrastructural problems in their respective areas. On the one hand, civic activism is increasing due to the delay in civic polls whereas on the other hand, the civic administration is claiming to actively resolve the citizens’ problems.

Recently, thousands of residents from the Baner-Balewadi area staged a protest to express their dissatisfaction with the PMC administration and Smart City officials. Five different organisations participated in the agitation and protesters said that their pleas for basic civic amenities had been ignored for years.

In another instance, residents of Mundhwa gathered at Mundhwa Chowk under the leadership of former Sarpanch Sandeep Loankar to protest water scarcity, traffic congestion, and shoddy garbage collection and disposal among others.

Similarly, hundreds of activists staged a protest titled ‘Chalo Chipko’ or let’s hug the trees on the Mutha riverbed to oppose the felling of trees for the ambitious Riverfront Development Project.

In a fourth instance, locals organised a protest march in opposition to the proposed Balbharati-Paud Phata Link Road, citing concerns over ecological damage to Vetal Tekdi.

Ameya Jagtap, a committee member of the Balewadi Welfare Federation (BWF), said, “Usually, people approach local corporators to solve their problems. Corporators act as a bridge between the residents and the administration. Currently, there are no corporators to address the people’s issues. That’s why people are taking to the streets. The administration is not responding to the people. It’s the first time that residents from different societies have gathered and protested against the PMC, demanding solutions for potholes, erratic water supply, shoddy garbage collection and drainage systems.”

Sanjivkumar Patil, director of the Wagholi Housing Societies Association (WHSA), said that it is not always feasible for everyone to participate in these protests as many work in the information technology sector and lack the time to do so. Some members, including Patil, approached PMC additional municipal commissioner Kunal Khemnar and submitted an application highlighting the lack of basic services such as drinking water, roads, drainage systems and garbage collection. Khemnar assured them of resolving the issues, but no action has been taken till date. In the absence of local representation, people have no choice but to approach officials and request for solutions to their problems. Corporators usually follow up on the residents’ complaints and try to resolve them, but in their absence, problems tend to remain unattended.

Civic activist Vivek Velankar confirmed that civic activism has indeed increased in the city due to the delay in civic polls. The administration is not being held accountable and is acting arbitrarily and taking the people’s concerns lightly, which is why civic organisations are resorting to protests, he said.

However, Vikas Dhakane, additional municipal commissioner, refuted all such allegations and said that they do prioritise addressing public concerns and that if any organisation stages a protest, they call their representatives to find solutions. The assistant municipal commissioners closely monitor public issues and work towards resolving them. Additionally, they hold meetings with the public on Mondays and Thursdays, conducting ward-wise gatherings to address problems, Dhakane said.