Corporators have killed residents’ activism
The absence of an elected body in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for four years from 2006 to 2010, was ironically a blessing in disguise for local activism.
Without a representative of their own at the Palike, the common civic woes brought people together.
The need to address civic woes led to the formation of the Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs), a platform created by the residents to assert their rights. The growth of RWAs converged into a powerful Citizens' Action Forum (CAF). These developments were so crucial that the then Palike Commissioner Bharatlal Meena too could not ignore their significance and decided to give them some role to play in the development activities at the ward level.
However, ever since the elected body came into being in the Palike, the RWAs have
become almost non-existent or just a gathering point for retired people.
One of the most active RWAs in the City was Abhyudaya, a conglomeration of many RWAs in the Bangalore South region. Located in Padmanabhanagar, this collective is now in decline, from being a hub of hectic activities just 18 months ago. An active office-bearer, N S Mukunda says things have “not gone too bad”. Activities do happen but the enthusiasm to take up work is certainly hit. He blames the political parties which do not want strong RWAs.
"One of the prime reasons behind the downfall of RWAs was that many members started showing their political inclination, though the RWAs are ought to be apolitical. If they are felicitated by the politicians, many RWA members start showing their true colours. This is a nice way political parties have found to kill RWAs in the City," explains Mukunda.
However, Abhyudaya still retains some of its punch to remain a strong RWA
conglomerate. But in many other parts of the City, the RWAs are breathing their last.
N Mukund of Jayanagar 5th Block, an office-bearer of his local RWA, blames the decline of the associations on young people not actively taking part in development
activities in their areas. "The tragedy is that most of the RWAs are a bunch of elderly people and the younger lot shies away from taking active part in the development process," he notes.
As the RWAs became weak, the concept of ward committee took a backseat. Under the scheme, ward committees were permitted to undertake projects worth Rs one lakh at one go and could execute works up to Rs six lakh in a year. In case the ward
committees could accumulate some amount to do the works on their own, the Palike was supposed to provide them with matching grants. However, Abhyudaya could not execute a single work under the ward committee scheme.
N S Mukunda of Abhyudaya says, "All these schemes remained only on paper and they could never turn into reality."
