Bangalore People's Forum has recently come up with a manifesto for the consideration of voters and candidates participating in elections in BBMP electiions 2010.

The forum consists of the following organisations.  ActionAid, Alternate Law Forum, Centre for Education and documentation, CIVIC, Community Health Cell, Concerned for Working Children, Environment Support Group (Environment, Social Justice and Governance Initiatives), Garment and Textile Workers Union, Hasiru Usiru, Hengasara Hakkina Sangha, Janasahyog, Janarogya Andholan Karnataka (PHM-KA), Kilikili, Maraa, Nightingales Medical Trust, Sahajeeran, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, Sangama, Save Bangalore Committee, Slum Jagattu, The Avenue Road Traders Associations, Vimochana

Introduction

All efforts of the Karnataka Government to deny the people of Bangalore their fundamental right to choose their local government has been defeated by landmark decisions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Karnataka in response to Public Interest Litigations.   As a result elections to BBMP will now be held on 28 March 2010.

Bengalureans have been denied their due right to shape their city for over seven years due to the absence of an elected body.  In this period a highly unaccountable and centralised bureaucratic raj took over, giving very little opportunity for citizens to be involved in local decisions.  The impact was apparent everywhere:  quality of basic services significantly declined, even as money and public resources were invested in projects and schemes in a wholly intransparent manner.

The opportunity now exists to renew our tryst with local democracy and begin shaping our city.  Municipal elections are key drivers in shaping our city.  Choose the wrong candidate, and vote on the wrong set of issues, the impact is likely to be irreversible.  Contrarily, if candidates were to agree to People's real issues of concerns, and get voted, they are likely to follow up on election promises during their term in office.

With this in context, many not-for-profit voluntary and public interest organisations working with a variety of communities and on a range of issues met over the past several months to collate a People's Manifesto.  Several meetings and discussions within and across sectors was the basis of preparing this Manifesto which is a distilled version of various progressive policies and measures that we feel people of Bengaluru deserve.  The list of issues and concerns raised in the Manifesto are meant to be indicative and not all comprehensive.

We urge you as a Voter or Candidate or Public Spirited Campaigner to use this Manifesto as a basis to make a wise choice while participating in the BBMP elections.

Governance

There must be meaningful and total implementation of the Nagarpalika Act. This can be achieved in the following ways:

BBMP Administration

• BBMP should be administered by a Mayor-in-council system, wherein the mayor will be elected from amongst the BBMP corporators for a non-recurring period of 2 ½ years.  
• As a progressive initiative, the office of Mayor must alternate between different genders.
• BBMP Council should function in an inclusive manner that would ensure meaningful participation of all marginalised religious and non-religious minority groups.

Ward Committee Functioning

• Democratic participation must be deepened by constituting ward committees in every ward, as a basic unit of urban governance.  
• Ward Committee members must be directly elected.
• A progressive and inclusive Bangalore can only be achieved by ensuring Ward Committees are allowed to function autonomously.  This has to be done by ensuring that adequate administrative and financial resources are available for the healthy functioning of Ward Committees.
• Ward Committee meetings should mandatorily be held at least once every month and must be forums open to the wide public at all times.
 
Ward Committee Representation

• Members elected to Ward Committees must be representative of the diversity in society and particularly ensure due representation for women, Dalits, minorities, urban poor and such other vulnerable sections of society.  Representatives of children should be encouraged and facilitated to take part in the ward committee meetings.
• Special Children’s Ward Committee meetings should be organised similar to Children’s Grama Sabhas now mandated for all Panchayats.

Budget for BBMP

• BBMP Budget should be evolved from the ward level up, and done in a transparent, accountable and participatory manner.
• All obligatory and delegated municipal functions of the BBMP should be adequately funded.  Lack of resources should not be a reason for not implementing such functions.
• All investments in existing or new projects should only be undertaken as a component of the BBMP Budget.  External financing and borrowings, therefore, can only be accepted if they are part of the BBBMP Budget.
• Social equity considerations must be fundamental to allocation of resources in the BBMP Budget.
• There must be proportionate allocation and distribution of resources in projects, and this must be based on the actual populations of vulnerable groups, such as urban poor, women, children, elderly, disabled, transgenders, street and working children, etc.
• Revenue earnings from land and property transactions within BBMP jurisdiction must be allotted  for sustenance of BBMP.  

Urban and Regional Planning

• Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) must immediately be constituted as the planning agency, as required per the Nagarpalika Act.
• BBMP shall implement projects, schemes and infrastructure based on plans developed by the MPC.
• Existing para-statal planning bodies such as BMRDA, BDA, etc., which are undemocratic and non-participatory, must be phased out.  Their technical competence could be integrated into MPC.
• BBMP should become the preeminent agency for implementing projects and schemes relating to the items listed in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution.  Consequently,  funds, functions and functionaries that are distributed in various para-statal agencies dealing with issues such as food, water, shelter, primary health, education, etc. must be reallocated to work under BBMP.
• Extraconstitutional and illegal bodies, such as ABIDe, must be immediately abolished.  All projects promoted and undertaken by ABIDe and such other bodies must be suspended forthwith, and subjected to a thorough review of a Joint Legislature Committee and also by the BBMP.

Representation

•    Reservation of seats in BBMP must be in conformance with applicable National and State Legislations and Policies.  
•    BBMP should become an example by ensuring that the Council and all Committees under its jurisdiction will reserve 50% of seats for women, and also ensure adequate representation for people with disabilities.

Public Health

• The fundamental right of Health for All must be protected in all BBMP schemes and programmes.
• All health facilities managed by BBMP must be transformed into comprehensive Primary Health Centres.  Care must be taken to ensure that a Primary Health Centre is available for every unit population of 50,000, and a sub-centre for every 10,000 people.
• Ward Committee should play a fundamental role in monitoring and planning of health services, especially of Public Health Centres and sub-centres.
• Public heath facilities should not be privatised.
• Adequate financing should be provided to run public health facilities to meet evolving standards.
• No user fees should be charged in any BBMP health centres.  
• Essential medical supplies must be provided in adequate quantities and at no cost to the patients.
• Patients’ Grievance Cell should be established in all health centres/Public Heath Centres and a toll-free telephone number should be instituted to ensure quality services free from corruption.
• Communities with special needs should be provided health services through specialised interventions of Community Health Experts.
• BBMP should play a leading role in regulating against extortive practices of private healthcare providers.

Accessibility

• All urban infrastructure and public use buildings must be fully accessible.
• Public commons and institutions such as roads, stations, airports, bus stands, banks, hospitals, schools, public offices, parks, etc. must be made fully accessible.  
• BBMP must conduct regular audits of all such facilities to ensure full accessibility.
• BBMP must set up a special cell to protect and implement the rights of people with disabilities.
• The needs of the disabled and children must be fully met in designing and developing pedestrian infrastructure.
• Disabled Information Systems must be integrated into all plans and schemes developed from the Ward level up.

Mobility and Public Transport

• All spaces of mobility must protect and preserve the right of way of pedestrians and cyclists.
• All roads and neighbourhoods of Bangalore must be pedestrian and cyclist friendly.  
• Cycling lanes must be secure and interconnected to ensure one can cycle anywhere in the city as a major means of travel.  All streets must necessarily be shaded with closed canopy trees to encourage cycling and walking as carbon-neutral modes of transport.
• BBMP must set up a cell to encourage cycling, walking and other carbon-neutral practices.
• Pedestrian-crossings should be mandatorily be at grade, that is, at surface level.
• Prioritized right of way and protection must be assured for pedestrians, cyclists, people with disability, children and senior citizens.
• Signal-free corridors must be scrapped forthwith, as they threaten the lives of the disabled, children and the elderly, and cause needless displacement of livelihoods and properties.
• Popular public places, business and city centres should be pedestrian and bicycle only zones on weekends.
• BBMP must institute a comprehensive accident support and rehabilitation package for  victims of road accidents.
• Public transport vehicles must be given priority on all roads.
• Plans evolved by MPC should be the basis for developing all public transport and mobility areas.
• Public transport facilities must be cheap and accessible to all economic classes of society.
• Urban poor, migrant workers and climate refugees should benefit from subsidized daily and monthly public transport passes.
• Strong disincentives, such as high parking fees, should be introduced to discourage the use of private vehicles in densely crowded areas and city centres.  
• Arterial roads must be decongested by disallowing parking.
• Investments made in public transport must be economically viable and equitable. Bus Rapid Transit systems, which are cheap, accessible and functional, should be preferred over expensive and unviable projects like the Bangalore Metro, High Speed Rail Link, Monorail and elevated roads.
• BBMP should make optimal and intelligent use of streets and other transport infrastructure.  A good way forward is avoid investments in wasteful and disruptive projects, such as road-widening, flyovers, underpasses, etc.
• Ward Committees must integrate various departmental inputs in instituting Traffic Calming measures and thus build safety on roads.

Culture

• BBMP must actively encourage the arts and cultural practice in Bangalore.  
• Ward committees and the wide public must be involved in organising cultural events, art projects and such other activities.
• Artistes must be involved in regularly organising urban arts and culture festivals.
• BBMP must constitute a Standing Committee to encourage and finance cultural events and also address grievances.
• Art and aesthetics in the public realm should not neglect the representation of local and regional cultural diversity.  
• Moral policing should be actively discouraged, and thus protect artistic license.
• Ward Committees should support community media spaces, such as public art projects, film and documentary festivals, street theatre, etc.

Parks and Open Spaces

• Park, playgrounds and open spaces are public commons and should be protected from any and all encroachments.
• Access to all public commons must be free of cost.
• BBMP must create and protect dedicated play spaces for younger children and play grounds for older children in each ward.
• All parks and playgrounds must be fully accessible.  Play equipment must be sensitively designed to accommodate the needs of disabled children.
• Park furniture and play equipment must be maintained in excellent condition.  
• Parks and open spaces must be provided and maintained equitable and poorer communities should not be discriminated against.
• Parks must be made useful for all users, and not just for walkers.
• Children must have unrestricted access to parks at all waking hours, and the design should allow unstructured and free play.
• Parks must be open from early hours of the morning to late hours of the night, and with adequate provisions of basic facilities to ensure safety and security.
• Ward Committees, parents, children and the elderly should be fundamentally involved in decisions relating to the creation and maintenance of parks and open spaces.
• Parks should not replace playgrounds and vice versa.  
• Every ward should have the right mix of parks and open spaces, including play space for younger children and playgrounds for teenagers and younger adults.   
• Parks and open spaces should be a safe walking distance from the neighbourhoods.

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