CIVIC Achievements
74th Constitutional Amendment – The Nagarapalike ACT
CIVIC has been one of the pioneering and few organizations working consistently and in depth on the 74th CAA from the time it was passed in 1993. CIVIC has developed considerable expertise in this field through the various consultations and public hearings it has undertaken and made recommendations to the state government to implement the 74th CAA more effectively. Once the changes were made, CIVIC worked towards the effective implementation of the Act and Rules, especially the formation of wards committees. Once formed, CIVIC studied the functioning of the wards committees and made recommendations on measures to strengthen the wards committees. The comprehensive changes suggested in the legislation were endorsed by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution.
CIVIC, through its various fora has helped citizens understand the implications of the state government loans from international funding agencies for infrastructure development. It has created an awareness of the need to involve local governments and communities in the decision-making regarding these loans and for setting up participatory institutional structures to facilitate this.
Ward Committee Study
CIVIC, The Nagarapalike Network and Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi conducted a study in 2003 to understand the functioning of ward committees, their problems, and the extent of their compliance with the rules of the Amendment. Some highlights of the study are:
- The formation of Ward Committees at present does not comply with the spirit of the 74th Amendment - one Ward Committee per ward.
- The selection of members of Ward Committees is based on nominations and not on elections.
Right to Information Act 2001
The Right to Information Act, 2001 allows citizens to demand information from any government service provider and expect a response within a stipulated time. Among other efforts to raise public awareness on this issue, CIVIC has worked to make the annual reports of the BWSSB, KPTCL, KUIDPC and BMP available to the public, thereby increasing the transparency in the working of the government departments, and decreasing the likelihood of corruption. CIVIC conducted training workshops, awareness campaigns, public meetings and forums with the government to raise the level of awareness of this powerful tool.
Citizen’s Charters
Carrying further the Right to Information, CIVIC has worked with other government departments, such as the Stamps and Registrations Dept., the Police Department, BMTC, RTO, BWSSB to make their charters easily available to the people.
BMP Slum Study
CIVIC supported an NGO Study on BMP slums to highlight the existing situation in services and amenities in them, make the concerned city officials aware of the situation in Bangalore and give suggestions to improve the slum conditions. The recommendations of the study were shared with the BMP as well as slum residents.
SLUM JAGATHU – a monthly newsletter, focusing on slum conditions, government schemes for slum dwellers and issues faced by them in their implementation is being partially supported by CIVIC. The people of the slums contribute the newsletter’s editorial content and entire management.
Transport System
CIVIC, along with citizens, suggested ways to improve the functioning of the transport system, historically one of the most inefficiently managed, loss-making departments in Karnataka. CIVIC and Transport experts initiated customer friendly measures and tariff structures.
Customer Complaints Mela (CCS)
CIVIC organized the Customer Complaints Mela in various localities in Bangalore, including slums, as a forum for residents to voice their grievances to the various departments of the government and seek solutions.
Core Group Meetings
Core Group Meetings held with other NGO groups, activists, and members have served to share research or CIVIC activities, present issues before officials and induce interaction between officials and citizens. These meetings have helped various organizations understand current issues and their opinions brought to the notice of the concerned officials.
Garbage Disposal and Management
Together with Swabhimana, another NGO, CIVIC devised a training program for housewives and maids, regarding the segregation and disposal of household waste. CIVIC also enabled a platform to focus on the citizen’s role in the BMP Private Solid Waste Disposal Contract. Developed by Saahas and CIVIC, an action research study/work plan was implemented in a health sub-ward of BMP. This included monitoring of door-to-door collection of waste, waste segregation at source, recycling of dry waste and local composting of organic waste.
Bellandur Lake Study
Most of Bangalore’s water bodies are covered and converted into sites for better off citizens often after evicting the poor, or they are left to by polluted by the industries and localities that surround them. CIVIC< along with other NGOs protested in the specific instance of the National Games complex in Koramangala. Along with the environmental studies students of Mount Carmel College, CIVIC undertook a study of Bellandur promised to clean up the lake and be monitored by the citizens.