Mumbai, August 02, 2005
MILIND DEORA
The Indian Express
After last week’s unprecedented deluge, which
submerged parts of Mumbai, a post-mortem is in order.
Many of us have lost loved ones, and unparalleled
damage has been caused to property and commercial
activity, in and around Mumbai. Mumbaikars have had
to deal with having no electricity for up to three
days, coupled with a shattered telecommunications
network. Some have watched everything they owned being
washed away. Furthermore, malicious rumours caused
panic, leading to stampedes and further loss of life.
Yet, no natural calamity should be allowed to cripple
India’s financial capital. In New York City,
after 9/11, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s command
centre was put into action. This centre was thoroughly
tested through drills and citizen participation. By
and large, it delivered results. The private sector,
too, played a key role in this effort. For instance,
Home Depot provided batteries and generators, Cisco
rebuilt much of the city’s telecommunications
network and Jeff Imelt of GE and Rupert Murdoch set
up the Twin Towers fund for families of uniformed
personnel who had lost their lives saving others.
The breakdown in Mumbai’s disaster management
planning should not be seen as a process malfunction.
It points, instead, to the need for major changes
in Mumbai’s administrative structure. Indeed,
the task of transforming Mumbai into a world-class
metro also hinges precisely on such reforms.
For one, it is important for Mumbai to have one
democratically elected leader who can be held responsible
for its overall well-being. We elect 6 MPs, 34 MLAs
and 225 municipal councillors to represent us in Parliament,
the state assembly and the municipality respectively,
with no individual being held accountable for the
city as a whole. Today, the chief minister is responsible
for Maharashtra, of which Mumbai constitutes only
a part. While Mumbai has only an eighth of the state’s
MLAs, its economic contribution to Maharashtra is
far greater. A complex city like Mumbai demands dedicated
attention. No CM can effectively focus on converting
Mumbai into a worldclass metro when he has other cities
like Pune and Nashik, as well as rural areas, to worry
about. Mumbai’s leader should therefore be mandated
to deal with its problems exclusively and be given
the relevant powers to do do.
Two, New York’s mayor is more prominent than
its governor. Many Mumbaikars, however, are
unaware of who their mayor is, and what his responsibilities
are. The elected representative in charge of Mumbai
must have overriding powers to control all agencies
working in the city. For instance, MHADA reports
to the housing minister, MSRDC reports to the transportation
minister, the police to the home minister, MMRDA and
BMC to the urban development minister and chief minister.
This leads to a major disconnect between the key agencies
working for Mumbai. It makes little sense that Asia’s
largest civic body — the BMC — is run by
a bureaucrat in the world’s largest democracy!
It is therefore important for state governments to
decentralise their powers, not just in Mumbai but
in all major cities — and bring the efforts of
local authorities together.
Three, as exemplified by New York after 9/11, Mumbai,
too, would greatly benefit from private sector involvement
in its restoration process. Several companies have
come forward to donate relief material, but the notion
that corporate social responsibility in times of crisis
can lead to profitability, has not been fully understood.
I have been coordinating relief efforts with several
NGOs and foundations to provide authorities with dumper
trucks, drinking water, drugs and temporary shelters.
We have also roped in private radio partners who will
communicate live updates on city developments.
Four, citizen participation is a must. The BMC’s
Standing Committee handles a Rs 5,000 crore annual
budget. Prominent citizens and NGOs could scrutinise
the committee’s decisions for greater transparency,
which should lead to more accountability. Citizens
interested in Mumbai’s future can play a role
by networking with their local representatives in
the BMC and state assembly. Mumbaikars should also
pay attention to the state government and BMC’s
annual budget speeches in addition to those presented
by the Union finance minister. After all, in a democracy,
it is only a people’s movement that can determine
change. By enacting legislation like the Right to
Information Act, the UPA government and the National
Advisory Council, chaired by Sonia Gandhi, are increasingly
trying to empower Indians. We should take advantage
of such initiatives. The RTI Act is an important tool
that could enable citizens to participate in governmental
decision-making.
Five, the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM),
recently established by the prime minister, can drive
structural reforms in state governments, such as those
highlighted above. Just as shareholders would demand
reforms before investing in a sick company, the NURM
should pressurise governments that do not undertake
structural reforms by only funding those that do.
Six, Mumbai’s transformation will remain a distant
dream without the active and informed participation
of the media. In addition to reporting news, the media
has a responsible role in making citizens aware of
their representatives in India’s three-layered
democracy. Sadly, many in Mumbai don’t know who
represents them in the BMC and Maharashtra assembly,
and what their responsibilities are. This trend is
reflected in voting turnouts where parliamentary elections
record higher participation than BMC elections, although
it is the BMC that affects our daily lives. Perhaps
Mumbai’s media could begin by regularly scrutinising
development initiatives undertaken by nodal agencies
in the city in the form of a quarterly report. Another
campaign could be directed towards the devolution
of powers from the state to the city.
Over the last few days, Mumbai’s citizens have
faced tough times. They have emerged through them
remarkably. Their faith in the local administration
may have been shattered, but their will to survive
and help others continues to inspire people across
India. It is, in fact, the average Mumbaikar that
saved Mumbai. That infectious bhagidari (partnership),
if energised and directed towards these solutions,
will ensure that Mumbai retains its place as India’s
premier metropolis.
The writer is a first-time MP representing Mumbai
South
