Shivaji Nagar residents take civic matters in their own hand

Residents of Shivaji Nagar in Govandi are no longer willing to wait on the side lines for the civic body to do something about the community that lives around the largest dumping ground in the city — Deonar.

Locals in the area have elected 40 community mentors to understand civic issues of the community. These members will file RTIs and taking an active initiative to engage with the local Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities.

The initiative is part of NGO Apnalaya's community-based management intervention where community members were educated about their basic rights. Started almost a year back, around 100 community members were involved, who met on a monthly basis to discuss and learn various issues. With the training now over the community members and mentors are ready to voice their opinion.

While waste management remains the largest issue these residents face, problems like domestic violence, sanitation, women's safety and substance abuse are other prominent ones. The residents have already filed four RTI applications, seeking information about some issues that were identified. They have also formed advocacy committees that will communicate with the authorities.

For someone like Kusum who lives in Indira Nagar Part I — one of the poorest slum settlements in Shivaji Nagar — the two camps she attended with Apnalaya were her first overnight outings away from her family. She pointed out that after the sessions she learnt that out of the 308 people who worked on making the Indian Constitution, nine were women!

Shivaji Nagar is a part of M/E ward of Mumbai which is one of the 24 administrative wards of the city. According to BMC's own human development report, the ward ranks last in almost every human development parameter like health and education with an average life expectancy of just 39 years.