Civic-citizen partnership running out? 131 ALM groups deregistered in Mumbai

An ALM is a recognised group of residents formed to initiate civic-citizen partnership and ensure good governance.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deregistered 131 of the city’s advanced locality managements (ALM) after it warned them for being inactive and inefficient in solid waste management.

An ALM is a recognised group of residents formed to initiate civic-citizen partnership and ensure good governance and better delivery of civic services in neighbourhoods. (HT File (Representational Image))

The BMC had given a buffer period of a couple of months to 209 ALMs it had identified as non-performing in October 2017. The rest of the 78 ALMs have a couple of months to better their working.

An ALM is a recognised group of residents formed to initiate civic-citizen partnership and ensure good governance and better delivery of civic services in neighbourhoods. As per the BMC manual on ALMs, their foremost responsibility is waste management. As per a circular issued in October by the municipal commissioner under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, ALMs that have not done any significant job in the past one year were to be deregistered immediately.

276 listed ALMs were asked to send performance reports and further plans by October 16, 2017. Today, only 145 ALMs are functioning – some satisfactorily and some unsatisfactorily, said BMC officials.

Of the 151 ALMs in Bandra (West), the BMC deregistered more than 100, which is the highest in any administrative ward. Currently, 38 ALMs are functioning in Bandra (West). Post the formation of ALMs in late 1990s, the BMC had listed 719 groups. Officer-on-special duty (ALM), Subhash Patil, said a lot of ALMs de-listed themselves over the years.

“We had sent warning letters in 2015 as well. Today, there is much less participation and ALMs do not hold meetings ,” said Patil. The BMC will soon be appointing new citizen groups.

Deregistered ones can also re-apply under the procedure, said Patil.

Former officer-on-special duty of ALMs, Seema Redkar said, “Unsolved disputes have led many ALMs to be deregistered. However, ALMs have also been deregistered because many citizens lost interest. Some ALMs would also function across localities which they are not supposed to, ”she said.

Manoti Chatterjee of N Datta Marg ALM which has been functioning since the last 17 years said, “Deregistering groups only demotivates them. It is easier for registered groups to communicate with the BMC. ”