Make disaster plan public, citizens groups say

Make disaster plan public, citizens groups say
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, OCTOBER 24: After the public meeting they organised last Saturday, Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI), in association with other citizens' organisations, has asked the state government to make public its disaster management plan which it has chalked out to deal with emergencies such as the civic strike that rent the city on October 13 and 14. With the public aware of its contents, the agencies executing the disaster management plan would find more cooperation than hindrance from them.

A coordinating committee, comprising AGNI representatives from the 24 wards of the city, has also drafted letters to the chief minister of Maharashtra, the municipal corporators and leaders of the workers' unions based on the eight-point memorandum accepted by the people during Saturday's public meeting. The letter to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is based on Section 520 (B) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, which allows the government to question the misuse of funds by the municipal corporation and keep a check on them.

Another letter, addressed to corporators asks them to explain why they voted in favour of a resolution granting the striking 1.4 lakh civic employees the ex-gratia that they have demanded despite their brief to represent the interests of citizens. It also asks why they did not implement the disaster management plan during the two days during the civic strike.

A final letter to union leaders seeks to know why they violated the Maharashtra Essential Services Act and whether any purpose was served by resorting to blackmailing tactics.