People’s Voice (PV) is a non-political, non governmental organization that aims to fight the rampant corruption in the country and help bring transparency and accountability in governance. It also aims to protect, preserve and save Nature - Air, Water, Land, Wildlife Flora and Fauna, the Environment. People's Voice comprises some of the top businessmen, retired civil servants and members of the intelligentsia who have been working to make Gurgaon and Haryana a better place, where people can live in safety and comfort.
Vashisht Kumar Goyal, a prominent Gurgaon based businessman and President of the Parliamentary Constituency of People's Voice, says that the new government has to urgently understand and address the problems of Gurgaon. "This city is growing very fast, has extreme disparities, multiplicity of agencies, and a large floating and migrant population. There is lack of space, and land is very expensive. In such a scenario, there is need for innovation in governance, to help resolve the problems of the city," he asserts. Goyal cites that the problems of lack of drinking water, shortage of housing for EWS, industrial workers and the lower middle class, as well as lack of infrastructure, could stop the city from achieving its full potential.
Goyal alleges that while there is ban on ground water boring and use of this water for construction, the illegal business is flourishing. Taking action here and there against a few operators is not going to end this problem. Another issue that is disturbing him is the lack of action against massive encroachments in areas like Sadar Bazar, Railway Road and other prominent roads and all HUDA markets. It has become difficult to walk and drive in these sectors. Neither the Corporation nor HUDA officials take any action against those involved in these activities, and there is also no coordination between the police and civic agencies. The image of Gurgaon is taking a big beating because of these encroachments, lack of parking space and poor civic services.
Goyal exhorts the new BJP government to set up an overarching development agency (Gurgaon Development Authority - GDA) for the city, which can guide MCG, HUDA, HSIIDC and others to work holistically for development and resolution of the problems being faced by the people. "GDA, with a Chairman or CEO as head, should also have a panel of experts who would work on engineering, finance, sanitation, building and other works. They should have fixed tenures, and their performances should be reviewed periodically," suggests Goyal. If the State government takes enough care of Gurgaon, this city can take care of entire Haryana, he asserts. Citing an example of the lack of action, he points out that even Stamp Duty revenues collected by MCG are not utilized properly. He also calls for a review of the Gurgaon Manesar Master Plan 2031, which allegedly caters to just a section of the real estate lobby (with the interests of the farmers being sacrificed by the previous Hooda government). The new government should also look into the wrongdoings of the Congress, and bring the corrupt to book, he says. Goyal says that there is great resentment amongst the farmers against the recent Land Acquisition notifications issued in Gurgaon, and adds that the government of Haryana should not allow areas falling in the natural conservations zones in NCR (such as the Aravallis, National Bird Sanctuary, Sultanpur, Lake Yamuna river bed and other major water bodies) for commercial, tourism or any other activities involving construction beyond the capped 0.5 % of the land in these areas - particularly in Village Mangar and other surrounding areas. He says that unlimited constructions in the Aravallis will prove disastrous for the NCR Nature conservation.
On corruption, People's Voice believes that the government should come up with a new plan of action. Unless the ill-gotten wealth is confiscated by the authorities, and strong punishment meted out to offenders, it is unlikely that this is going to end, he believes. "If the vigilance department is itself manned by corrupt officials, how can one expect that there would be transparency? In fact a large number of NGOs working in the city and across the State only function on paper. There is need to scrutinize these NGOs and check if they are delivering as professed," he alleges. He also calls for an institutional framework to manage the large number of gaushalas that have been set up in the city. Finally, he says that People's Voice will keep working for the betterment of Gurgaon, and act as a watchdog, to ensure that this city in reality becomes a global Millennium City.
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