Charter of demands to gauge candidates' dedication

Around 50 mohalla committees, as part of their voter awareness campaign, have come up with a collective 17-point charter of demands. The panels plan to put across these points before candidates contesting civic polls and seek their opinion on these pressing issues in front of the public.

As part of the campaign, which is being carried out under the umbrella of National Society for Clean Cities (NSCC), interaction sessions with all the candidates will be organised in their respective electoral panels, seeking their opinion so that voters can decide whom to elect.u00a0

The panels seek candidates' views on various issues that impact daily lives of citizens like early implementation of the Green Development Plan, which includes no construction in reserved bio-diversity parks, environment protection, anti-encroachment measures, citizen participation in local administrative decisions, water supply, and implementation of Supreme Court guidelines on solid waste management among others.

"We'll handover the lists to all housing societies, who will conduct meetings with the candidates. We are not questioning the credibility of the candidates, but just getting their opinions out in the open," said Satish Khot, President of NSCC.u00a0

As per the list, the candidates will be asked whether they would support implementation of bio-diversity parks in the 23 fringe villages within the next three years and act to remove encroachments along roads and public amenity spaces.u00a0

They will also be asked if they are prepared to implement the "NO Hawker Roads", improve public transportation.u00a0The list of demands also includes if elected the candidates should hold meetings with mohalla committees and ensure that issues put up before the General Body and Standing Committee are put up on PMC website as well as on notice boards of ward offices 48 hours before the meeting.u00a0

"We also want the candidates to prod the PMC to encourage slum dwellers to form cooperative societies. The PMC should assist them in their own rehabilitation and not allow any builders to get involved in slum rehabilitation," said Bhushan Kaushal of Kharadi's mohalla committee.

The number of mohalla commitees that prepared the 17-point charter of demands