New Delhi, (20/6/2019): Praja Foundation released its white paper on civic issues and deliberations done by councillors and MLA’s in Delhi, today. The report highlighted that Delhi is still grappling with basic civic issues while the multiplicity of agencies and govt managing the city is only aggravating the situation
In the report it is shown that, “complaints relating to No water have increased from 34,554 in calendar year 2015 to 86,637 in 2018. From 2017 to 2018, complaints of no water has been increased by 66%.
While the state govt through the Delhi Jal Board had promised improved water services. Water related complaints are more than the total complaints of all civic issues”.
Another civic challenge highlighted in the report is that of high men to women disparity in public toilets. Only one in four public toilets seats are for women. In terms of toilet to population ratio, the Swachh Bharat norm for public toilets are for women. In terms of toilet to population ratio, the Swachh Bharat norm for public toilet is 1 public toilet seat for 100-400 men and 1 public toilet seat for 100-200 women, while in Delhi there is actually 1 public toilet seat for 3,982 men, and 1 public toilet seat for 9,630 women.
In MCD, most complaints are registered related to buildings and unauthorized construction, solid waste management and nuisance due to dogs, monkeys etc. In the context of performance of elected representative in the city, the facts are not very encouraging. Attendence of MLA’s in Delhi has fallen from 87% in 2017 to 82% in 2018 and councillor attendance similarly fell from 74% in 2017 to 68% in 2018.
The report suggest in order to improve accountability of the local government both elected representative and administrators, MCD needs to develop a citizen charter with details of authorities that deal with the complaint and the time limit in which the complaint has to be solved.
