The Ward Committees are not allowed to function properly in municipal areas while Area Sabhas have not been constituted yet. Unlike rural areas, a social audit of civic bodies is not done in urban areas, regretted civic activist Katyayini Chamaraj from Civic Bangalore on Saturday, March 11.
Speaking at the launch of ‘We the People,’ a new civil society organisation here, Ms. Chamaraj said civil society organisations should constantly make local government bodies aware of the people’s demands. Advocacy should be done for people’s work; if unavoidable, issues can also be challenged in court, she said. She said the government has the wrong policies for solving problems in municipalities.
During the launch, experts highlighted the importance of citizens’ participation in the effective functioning of a democratic system. They urged citizens to bring any observed deficiencies to the attention of the authorities. ‘We the People’ aims to deepen democracy and improve the living standards of citizens in Dakshina Kannada district.
Social worker Padmanabha Ullal launched organisation’s website, www.we-the-ppl.org and emphasised the need for citizens to take responsibility for identifying and reporting problems and grievances. He stated that only through people’s participation can the system work dynamically.
Honourary professor with Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag, Jeevan Kumar, quoted comparative studies and gave suggestions for developing the democratic system in India. Freelance journalist Melanie Kumar spoke about the dangers of social media.
‘We the People’ president Prathapchandra Kedilaya explained the organisation’s aims and objectives. He also announced that the Association would convene a brainstorming meeting with social activists from across the district to address various social issues affecting the region shortly.
Vice President Mariete Fernandes, Secretary Oswald Periera, Treasurer Suresh Nayak and Executive Members, Bhaskar Kiran, Dilip Vas Naik, Gladys Monteiro, and Steevan Dsouza were present.
