Activists oppose proposal to divest BBMP of public health functions

Civic activists and organisations have opposed the government’s proposed plans to divest the BBMP of public health functions and create a parastatal agency to provide health facilities in the city’s government hospitals.

Divesting the BBMP of public health will be in direct contradiction to the letter and spirit of the decentralisation enshrined in the Constitution through the 74th Amendment, said NGO Janaagraha.

On Saturday, the state government’s Covid task force headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan discussed creating a separate directorate for running all government hospitals and divesting the BBMP of the responsibility. Currently, some government hospitals are run by the Medical Education Department while a few are controlled by the Health Department or the BBMP.

“What we need is far greater powers and capacities in the BBMP, integrating primary healthcare with water and sanitation and climate change functions, far greater involvement of elected concillors and functioning ward area sabhas and ward committees,” Janaagraha stated.

Experience from Kerala over the last two decades clearly points to the benefits of devolution of public health functions, powers, staff and finances to local governments. “Involvement of elected councillors at ward and sub-ward levels, and extensive citizen participation facilitated by the same, have brought tangible benefits to the state in its Covid response,” the non-profit said in a release.

Also read: Separate agency may run all govt hospitals in Bengaluru

Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO, Janaagraha said: “This is a retrograde proposal being considered as a panic reaction. It is true that the Covid response in Bengaluru is fragmented.

The solution to that is to further empower the BBMP as the single point of executive authority over public health, water and sanitation and climate change.”

Srinivas Alavilli, Head, Civic Participation, Janaagraha, said: “The BBMP needs to be more empowered, not less. Whether it is civic work or public health, the units of governance should be closer to people, not farther. MLAs are expected to make legislation for the state and not run the city.”

If more parastatals are created, taking away the functions of a city government, “there will be no one to hold accountable,” he said.

Lawyer Vinay Sreenivasa warned that “once you move it to a parastatal agency, there is little transparency (and) accountability.”

AAP leader Prithvi Reddy tweeted: “Health out, Garbage out, Water out, Education not applicable, so what will #BBMP do? Attempt by MLAs to rule the roost, with all powers and no accountability!”