AAP promises better transport system, women's safety

Empowering citizens and residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) through Swaraj Bill, better transport system, reverse osmosis facility in areas having high fluoride in water, commuter rail connecting Bangalore and Chikkaballapur with Kempegowda International Airport and women’s safety are some of the promises the fledgling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made for the voters of Bangalore.

At a ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by the Bangalore Press Club here on Tuesday, the four candidates of the AAP contesting from Bangalore South, North, Rural and Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha seats, said they and their party stood for clean and honest governance.

Prof Babu Mathew, who is contesting from Bangalore North, said, “It is painful to see the way buses ply bothering little about the plight of women and differently-abled people. If we are voted to power, we will make the transport system disabled and women-friendly.”

Mathew further said empowering RWAs and smashing the mafia through Jan Lokpal is also on AAP’s agenda. “If we are elected, we will ensure that the ill-gotten wealth of the mafia is confiscated. We will shake Bangalore with our presence,” he said. The party’s Bangalore Rural candidate Ravi Krishna Reddy said revival of lakes, protecting natural canals and stormwater drains from encroachment and drinking water to all will be his priority.

“Today, water tankers are the only source of water. It is a matter of shame for any government if people are forced to buy water, which is the basic human need. There is no initiative by the government to increase the depleting water table. There is no measure to store rainwater in lakes,” said Reddy. If elected, he said, he would strive to ensure encroachment of lakes was cleared.

Bangalore South candidate Nina P Nayak, former chairperson of Karnataka Child Rights Welfare Commission, said, “Being a child rights activist, I will work for the welfare of children. Many underprivileged children in Bangalore are malnourished. I will also strive to improve the condition of government schools. The party does not have muscle or money power. The only thing that keeps it going is the people’s power,” she said.

K Arkesh, the Chikkaballapur candidate, said fluoride was a major challenge in his constituency. 

As water has depleted in the area, people are digging too deep and are getting water highly contaminated with fluoride. “If I am elected, I will ensure that each village has reverse osmosis plants. The previous elected representatives never bothered about the plight of those suffering from fluorosis.

The depleting water table due to rampant encroachment of catchment areas of rivers and canals has affected farmers, too. More than 60,000 borewells in the constituency have gone dry and agriculture yield has also come down drastically,” said Arkesh.He also promised a commuter rail linking Bangalore and Chikkaballapur with KIA.