ALMs revived in H West ward after a year

Mumbai:Advanced Locality Managements (ALM) in H West ward covering Bandra, Khar and Santacruz West were revived last week after being inactive for nearly a year, courtesy a nudge from BJP leader and Bandra West MLA Ashish Shelar. On August 8, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) assistant commissioner Vinayak Vispute, which drew nearly 100 participants, including locality representatives, former corporators Alka Kerkar, Hetal Gala and Swapna Mhatre and police officials. Several pressing issues such as waste disposal, illegal hoardings and stray cattle were raised in the meeting, with citizens demanding that such meetings be organised at least once a month for effective resolution of their concerns.

An initiative of BMC’s solid waste management department, ALMs are citizens’ groups that work in close collaboration with the BMC to improve the “quality of life” in their neighbourhood. Most ALMs became inactive following the end of the five-year term of municipal corporators on March 7, 2022. This was because corporators arranged for meetings of ALMs with respective councillors and BMC officials, including the assistant commissioner of the ward. Some ALMs did have sporadic meetings even after corporators’ terms ended in March 2022 but these stopped completely eleven months ago, said members.

The meeting of ALMs in H West ward last week was organised after Bandra West MLA Ashish Shelar called for their reinstatement. Residents of several areas jostled to be heard by civic officials after a long gap, said participants.

“There was no connect between BMC officers and citizens for due to the lack of corporators. So we are glad that the meeting of ALMs has finally taken place,” said Vidya Vaidya, veteran activist with the Bandra Reclamation Area Volunteers Organization (BRAVO). “This connection was necessary because dialogue should be ongoing in a democracy.”

At the meeting, Vaidya drew attention to the mounting piles of garbage in the Bandra Reclamation area, especially at the spot in Nargis Dutt Nagar where BMC parks tempos and mini trucks. Other residents also spoke about the issue, saying mixed waste was being dumped at the spot, resulting in heaps of refuse on either side of the road.

Vaidya also raised the issue of billboards and signages near schools and hospitals and spoke about high luminance signages disrupting sleep patterns of Bandra Reclamation residents.

“Illuminated signages are not turned off at night, which is a larger issue for the whole city. If there are no rules mandating the same, new rules should be made,” said Vaidya.

Khar Danda resident Anita Pamak raised the issue of intermittent water supply in her area.

“We do get water now, but it comes in late. We demanded that water supply be made punctual and orderly,” she said.

Meena Kaura, a member from Guzdar Scheme Residents’ Trust from Santacruz West raised the issue of cattle roaming freely at Khar station and Khatvari Darbar on Linking Road.

“The cattle occupy footpaths, block our way and create a mess. Their handlers too sit with the cattle, which must be looked into,” Kaura noted.

Overall, participants agreed that the revival of ALMs was a crucial step towards re-establishing effective communication with the BMC and addressing local issues. Meetings should be held at least twice a month, they opined.