OBJECTIVES OF ALMS

OBJECTIVES OF L.A.C.Gs

 ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Solid waste management

The main objective of the LACG concept is to create an institutional basis for a formal structure of citizen – civic interaction and partnership, so as to ensure a sustainable working process, that is not based on personalities or restricted to a single programme or scheme, and that can also be applied across the city for partnerships with other Government agencies.

Wider objectives included for better coverage of different civic problems and empowerment of local citizens to co-ordinate and co-operate with MCGM and, in future, with other local authorities, to  ensure speedy redressal of various pressing civic issues, through which any eventuality and disaster management is possible by the Citizens themselves, while MCGM do not absolve themselves from their basic responsibilities of provider of civic amenities

a)  segregation of wet and dry garbage

b)  maintain cleanliness of the area.

c)  Zero garbage zones

d)  Beautifications

e) Watchdog to encroachments

Activities that an LACG can undertake

LACGs can be involved in the planning, implementation, awareness creation, monitoring, feedback, etc. of various issues that pertain to their locality. These include suggestions to BMC, joint working with BMC, communication to and from citizens or BMC, etc. The basic idea is to enable a sustained method of engagement between citizens and BMC so that optimal solutions can be found for various civic-related matters in that area consistent with overall policies, plans, procedures, projects for the entire city.

Assisting BMC in grassroot level implementation and speedy redressal of civic-related programmes by which local Citizens are immediately and directly benefited. .

The LACGs can play a crucial role in the integration of community-based disaster preparedness and mitigation plans prepared by BMC, and in the strengthening of local capacities and institutions that will enable the mitigation of the impact of subsequent disasters.

LACGs who are interested will be suitably empowered to enable them to ensure enforcement of BMC Rules and implementation of BMC schemes. e.g. hiring private agencies to guard against / collect administrative charges from / prevent offenders, taking up Solid Waste Management activities as Agents of BMC, etc. subject to certain conditions and specific agreements.

LACG social workers to get suitably empowered.

a) photo-identity cards.

b) prevent offenders

c) prevent encroachments

d) co-ordinate with Nodal Officers for immediate redressal of local civic related problems.

An illustrative list of some of the activities to be undertaken by an LACG is as follows:    

1. Undertaking a joint survey of their area regarding all civic matters
2. Providing feedback regarding BMC’s Overall plan for the area for the next 3 months by BMC
3. Providing ideas and proposals for Beautification and Greening
4. Cleanliness / Solid Waste Management
5. Assisting BMC in Undertaking special drives (cleanliness, polio eradication, etc)
6. Environment - reporting noise and air pollution, as well as visual pollution such as unauthorised advertisements, poster and political banners. 
7. Traffic and Roads – giving suggestions regarding parking, signals, dividers, road repairs, footpath repairs, street lights, repair of underground pipes / cables of utilities
8. Hawkers - footpath traffic, littering, waste, encroachment, noise, etc.  nuisance from shopkeepers or commercial organisations  
9. Reporting & Preventing Encroachment on footpaths and public spaces - hawkers, vagrants, miscreants, nearby slum dwellers
10. Utilities – excavation of roads and footpaths for management of water, electricity, etc. & immediate clearance of debris from the sites etc. 
11. Preventing and to be a watchdog against Unauthorised / illegal  construction
12.  Stray dogs, cattle, etc.
13.  Disaster Management- receiving warnings, reporting situations and providing feedback
14.  Information dissemination: Acting as contact points for citizens for information, guidance, feedback to and fro on BMC related matters.
15.  Monitoring and reporting as per standard formats(permitting BMC to publicize their tel. numbers and email ids.)
16.  Using email to send reports and receive communication from BMC daily  

Activities envisaged for LACGs

As enlisted in left side column from Srl.No.1 to 16

BMCs obligatory support to LACGs

1. To appoint 227 Nodal Officers at each Councillor Ward for LACGs.
2. To undertake a Joint mapping of the LACG area regarding all civic matters, and prepare a report about the situation with remedial suggestions, and to file it with the relevant BMC and/or other Govt. departments.
3. BMC to inform LACGs suitably in advance about their proposed activity such as plans and programs including Work Orders and permissions given to utilities for road excavation, etc. for that area, to enable the LACG to give feedback, prepare for it, inform citizens, etc
4. To ensure that all LACG meetings are held regularly, with attendance of competent BMC officials, as specified. (detailed meeting structure and objectives is ahead)
5. To put into place a process for resolving issues and implementing solutions  via the Nodal Officer and through meetings at LACC (fortnightly), Ward (next fortnight), Zone (monthly), Additional MC (monthly), and MC levels in the form of group meetings of concerned LACGs.
6. To provide the specified support for each of the listed activities that the LACG takes up.
7. BMC internal procedures and policies to be suitably changed so as to take
   cognisance of the reports, feedback and suggestions received and to prepare Action Taken Reports as well as take decisions and prepare action plans.
8. BMC shall provide Enforcement Squads / Nuisance Detectors where required by LACGS for enforcement of Rules. BMC to incorporate LACGs in Enforcement Squads (if they so desire) to assist in enforcement of all relevant Rules. 
9. BMC to use services if offered by LACGs on an Agency basis LACGs for implementation of local schemes / plans of an area.
10. To set up information systems / internet linkages for data, communication
    and action between LACGs and BMC to work smoothly and transparently.
11. All such information that BMC is required to or intends to share publicly, shall also be shared with the NGO Council and  www.karmayog.org to act as an interface between MCGM and citizens, for which an MoU has been signed with BMC.     
12. BMC will give assistance for training and capacity building of its own officers / employees as well as citizens who are participating in LACGs in order to improve the efficiency of working of this system.
13. Various circulars will be amended where required to give effect to the working of the LACG concept as outlined in these Rules and as decided by the Apex LACG Committee from time to time (including circulars pertaining to ALMs and LACCs).
14. To publish a monthly newsletter in association with the NGO Council regarding LACG activities and related matters at its own cost.
15.  BMC will provide in-kind support for activities that an LACG undertakes. e.g. making composting pits, providing plants for greening, etc.
16. BMC to pay an honorarium to LACGs (with Final Registration) who undertake to carry out reporting and monitoring functions for BMC on a regular basis.
17. Any other obligatory responsibility as decided by the Apex Committee from time to time.

BMC comes 2 steps forward, and invites Citizens to come 1 step forward with an intention  to utilize the expertise of administrative talents of citizens with private sector corporate, international, civic and socio economic experience,  qualified and talented, willing to devote their spare time, opted  to live in particular locality wherein  an LACG is formed,  to be a part of civic administration to improve their own residential area, in co-ordination and co-operation with BMC, and BMC undertakes to fulfill the obligations as defined in Srl. No.1 to 17 and also to finance, as an honorarium, on certain specified activities conducted.

No Honorarium were being paid to ALMs, whereas ALMs had to fend for themselves through their own means / begging bowls.