People-centric approach, emphasis on education & innovation required to address issues, say residents
The availability of the civic amenities to residents is not evenly distributed. Some are enjoying all these facilities and others are deprived of them. Various measures and suggestions are there which the Municipal Corporation may take to provide basic civic amenities to its residents. There must be micro-level division of responsibilities to ensure proper implementation of schemes. There must be a one nominated member in each street to record the civic complaints. The person should report to the authorities concerned about the problems of their respective areas. Authorities should lay underground wires and pipes before carpeting the road. Residents must assist the local government in maintaining the civic amenities.
Implementation of rules should be ensured
The civic amenities provided by the Municipal Corporation (MC) have been under scanner before the advent of Covid-19. It is high time that the executing authorities should ensure strict implementation of the rules and regulations as well as allocation of work. Departments concerned should be held responsible in any case of lapse on their part. Corruption is also an added reason for the poor functioning of the MC. The higher officials will have to take the initiative to improve the standard of facilities provided by the MC. It will also create a bond between the people and the MC.
Those in power need to gear up
Being an industrial hub, the city suffers from problem such as air and water pollution. Emissions from industry and vehicles are largely responsible for the problem. The time demands sustainable development to preserve the environment. Many industries do not follow pollution norms and neither are the authorities concerned are bothered. This lackadaisical approach is the main reason behind the lack of civic amenities. Those in power should act as a watchdog and only then the basic civic amenities can be provided to the people. The authorities need to gear up and start working at the grassroots.
Register complaints on civic body’s mobile app
Problems such as non-functional streetlights, irregular water supply, bumpy roads and poor sanitation are common in the city. The Municipal Corporation had launched Ludhiana Municipal Corporation Citizens Reporting and Mapping Tool (LMC CRAMAT) app for the residents to report their grouses. The app can be installed free of cost on the any Android based smart phone. This application would help the administration in the maintenance of the city.
Use clean energy sources
For the improvement of civic amenities following steps can be used by the government and the local people as well. Firstly, the available water should be used more effectively and the misuse should be prevented and waste water should be properly treated and used. Secondly, plant more and more trees and plants in such places. The parks, alleys, public medians, streets, buildings and sidewalks should be well designed and properly outlined. New technologies such as the solar panels should also be installed. Lastly, water, garbage, electricity and parking facilities should be given utmost importance and strict action should be taken against violators.
Dispose garbage properly
To dealing with the civic problems in the city, the local police should assist the Municipal Corporation. The local politicians and their representatives must also play active role in eradicating the problems of poor civic amenities in their areas. The mosquito eradication programme must be taken up on war footing in all colonies. Likewise, the required medical facilities in the civil hospitals and health centres must be ensured. These institutions must be equipped with required infrastructures, including medicines to take care of patients suffering from seasonal diseases. Safai karamcharis of the MC must be provided with safety gear and proper equipment. The garbage must be disposed at proper sites.
Residents must perform their duty
Ludhiana has improved its quality of civic amenities but still there is a long way to go. Firstly, the MC should solve the problem factors leading to the poor sanitary conditions. It’s also the duty of citizens to preserve and protect the infrastructure to ensure long-term benefits. Most of the city waste is plastic and other non-biodegradable waste such as sanitary napkins, which can be disposed of by installing incineration plants.
Increase street lights
Despite being a Smart City, Ludhiana lacks in many aspects and one the major problem is the scarcity of street lights which leads to increase in the number of accidents and crimes. Street lights should be installed in every area weather people live there or not. Efforts must be made to ensure these remain in working conditions in all weather conditions. There should be an online platform on which people can put their complaints whenever they are facing any issue related to civic amenities.
Use resources efficiently
Increased emphasis on healthy lifestyle without caring for environment exerts tremendous stress on civic amenities such as water supply, electricity, health services day by day. Water should be used more efficiently and its misuse should be prevented. There should be effective rainwater harvesting systems in rural or urban areas. The available of natural resources should be properly used. Research should be done for alternate sources of energy from which electricity can be produced. Last but not the least, adequate healthcare should be provided. Basic environment needs such as clean air, water and adequate nutrition should be taken care of.
Regular cleanliness drives
Basic amenities are directly related to our health and daily life. In both rural and urban areas, people are facing problems of water supply shortage, improper drainage system, damaged roads, etc. The government and municipal officials must take steps to provide proper civic amenities to the public to address their problem. Open drainage and garbage accumulation have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and insects. Regular cleanliness drives and safety measures should be taken by the authorities concerned to address the problem.
Ensure amenities at public places
The following steps can be taken to cure the problem of poor civic amenities in a particular area. Modern machinery and technology should be installed at public places so that the people can use these utilities. Proper arrangements regarding electricity supply, water availability, garbage dumping etc. should be made. The community resources must be accessible to the poor and needy. Trespassers should be fined heavily.
MC must take bold steps
Bad roads and poor civic amenities have been a constant problem for residents of several colonies in Ludhiana. Residents rue of absence of good sanitation, garbage collection and unavailability of potable water. It is high time that the MC take some bold as well as concrete steps for the benefit of residents. Proper maintenance and upkeep of roads in all areas and delivery of civic amenities to one and all are urgently required. Hygienic conditions in every nook and cranny of the city should also be taken on war-footing.
Ensure facilities at street level
Civic amenities are the lifeline of any city. Local government should provide all these facilities at a reasonable and affordable price to its entire citizen irrespective of rich and poor. Proper light system and sewerage facilities should be there at street level. In each area there must be a water tank which may cater to the need of locals in that area. The local government should carpet roads and heavy fine should be imposed on those who damage it. A separate site should be reserved in each area to organize functions. One nodal office of the MC should be established within two kilometre of an area to lodge the complaint of the nominated person. Proper facilities of lifting garbage should be ensured. In each area there must be one park.
Ensure proper waste management
The Municipal Corporations must take steps to improve the sanitary conditions in the city. Public toilets should be installed at regular intervals and managed properly. Citizens must act responsibly and obey the orders issued by the government. Proper waste management should be ensured at homes, schools and institutions. Officials of the MC should be held responsible for ensuring sanitation.
Corporates must come forward
On the one side the city is considered as a Smart City while on the other we are struggling with availability of basic amenities. Residents paid huge taxes and availability of these amenities are their rights. Big corporate houses can come forward to solve these problems under corporate social responsibility and expenses incurred under this scheme should be allowed for income tax deductions. As responsible residents, we should also protect the public property and protect them. Efforts should be made to nab the culprits.
Educate masses
To tackle the problems caused by poor civic amenities it is essential to have a research on factors that prevent urban poor from availing the services provided to them. The government must reduce private costs as well as negative externalities of ill health. The small towns and villages in the district have worst civic amenities because of lack of education to the poor. The government must have proper rules and regulations so that even uneducated people could came to know about the importance of basic amenities.
Follow bottom-up approach
The increasing pressure of population growth on urban land, its use and reuse, the amenities and services and the large number of low income groups in urban areas are some of the important factors contributing to the problems of the urban health hazards. For this the role of the urban community is of utmost importance. The entire urban community should take part in urban planning. In other words the planning system should be as democratic as possible in the present time. It’s high time to peoples participation in urban planning and ensuring availability of basic amenities by following bottom-up approach.
Efforts by all needed
Ludhiana is well known as smart city. But its social issues have plagued the life of its resident. Social issues such as poverty, caste discrimination, pollution, poor sanitation, corruption etc. act as hurdle in the path of development. These problems can be solved through mutual efforts of the people and the government. It can also get better by delivering free education on sollution of social issues through seminars in each and every area of city . Also greater schemes should be introduced by the governmemt and NGO’s to deal with such condition in city . It is very important to deal with these social issues seriously if we want to relish the quality of life.
Proper disposal of garbage necessary
Basic amenities are an essential part for a healthy living. Below are some measures that can be taken to ensure proper facilities are provided to residents. Firstly, proper management for drinking water by the authority should be ensured as a basic need. Secondly, proper disposal of garbage should be there as a matter of healthy environment. Thirdly, rainwater harvesting should be adopt. The MC should undertake steps for ensuring sanitation in the city.
MC’s attitude indifferent
City lacks basic amenities due to MC’s apathy. No time–bound action plans or surveys are conducted to know the problems that the city residents face. Civic agency should act as watchdog, only then the basic civic amenities can be provided to the people at large.
Article Credit: tribuneindia