The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhiites feel that their city is safe: poll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 17, 2006
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

Delhiites feel that their city is safe: poll

Staff Reporter

"Corruption, sharp increase in prices major problem"

NEW DELHI: If a new public opinion poll conducted in the Capital to gauge the general mood in the wake of recent incidents of terrorism is anything to go by, most Delhiites feel that their city is safer than any major metro in the West. But a large number of respondents complained that, terrorism apart, unemployment, corruption and sharp increases in the prices of essential commodities are the major problems faced by the common man in the Capital today.

According to the opinion poll conducted by Shyam Vyas Market Research Services Division from August 24 to September 4 involving 600 men and women belonging mostly to middle and upper middle classes, 48 per cent of the respondents said they are "safer" in Delhi than people in any Western country. Only 12 per cent believed they are "more unsafe", while 40 per cent were "uncertain".

While 70 per cent of the respondents described the recent detention of 12 Mumbaikars in Amsterdam as "shocking", "horrific", "insulting" and "discriminatory", 56 per cent believed that similar incidents are likely to happen again in future. A sizeable 60 per cent of the respondents expected terrorism to increase in the next 12 months.

The respondents gave the police and security agencies in the country a thumbs-up for their anti-terrorism efforts but agreed that they could do better. At least 88 per cent felt that they should be supported well by politicians and the public, while 96 per cent maintained that they should develop a greater rapport with the public.

However, in public perception the police remain the most corrupt department (88 per cent), while the Income Tax (54 per cent) and the Municipal Corporation (54) ended up as a joint second in terms of corrupt departments. The three most respected professions today are teachers/professors (84 per cent), military (66 per cent) and doctors (58 per cent).

The general response to questions about the performance of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre was a mixed one with 50 per cent agreeing that it was doing a fair job on the economic front. But while 16 per cent disagreed with the contention, the remaining 34 per cent were uncertain about the Government's performance.

But a whopping 80 per cent disapproved of the Government's decision to bring in reservations in the country's elite educational institutions. Only 8 per cent approved of the Government's decision.

As far as the current economic situation is concerned, only 28 per cent said they felt happy with it. A larger chunk, 38 per cent, said they were unhappy. The rest were uncertain.

According to the poll, the three major problems faced by the common man today are terrorism (72 per cent), unemployment (66 per cent) and corruption in Government (64 per cent). A close fourth is "the increasing prices of necessities (essential commodities)" with 62 per cent of the respondents, mostly housewives, complaining that price rise has hugely affected their budgets.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi