BENGALURU: The Beku Beda manifesto was released on Tuesday by freedom fighter HS Doreswamy, KPCC working president Dinesh Gundurao, BJP MLA Dr Ashwath Narayan, JD(S) National Spokesperson Taveer Ahmed and other activists in the presence of students at St Joseph’s College.
Some of the suggestions in the Beku Beda from Citizens Manifesto for Bengaluru included 10 new suburban train routes every year, no flyovers within ORR (Outer Ring Road), ban on garbage burning, ward level plans to precede Revised Master Plan 2031 finalisation, no garbage transport mafia, 10,000 open wells, all city agencies to report to BBMP and clean and safe Anganwadis and schools.
“We are putting people's demand in front of politicians and parties. If you want our vote, earn it by fulfilling our demands before elections,” said Tara Krishnaswamy of Citizens for Bengaluru (CFB).
On October 15 at Freedom Park, more than 1,500 citizens cast their votes on what they want and don’t want from the city administration. CFB volunteers then consolidated thousands of demands into a shortlist as a manifesto.
Asha, a student from APSA – an NGO, said, “A lot of students have taken to smoking and drugs, which should be curbed. So many families have migrated to the city. Their children should be provided education in Anganwadis. Water is also another issue. There is no water in toilets and also in schools. CCTVs should be installed in educational institutions. Women protection should be priority for administrators.”
Mr Doreswamy said, “As far as drinking and driving is concerned, the government is thinking only about the revenue and not the number of accidents. The government will get only Re 1 if one person drinks, but the victim spends more than that in the hospital. Even Indira Gandhi in her 20-point programme had said that if states ban alcohol, the central government would compensate for the revenue loss. Last time in the protest, I had asked ministers to distribute gas masks to everyone because of dust. The city is over polluted.”
Mr Gundurao said, “5,000-6,000 encroached pieces of land have been recovered. Bengaluru is the engine that drives entire Karnataka. Most of the economic, employment and the tax revenue is generated from the city. So it is important to maintain traffic, environment and lakes. We will take these demands and work on it.”
The lakes and garbage is the major issue for the city. “If we can maintain 50 lakes properly, they can provide drinking water for entire Bengaluru. The lakes are decorated, but the water is polluted,” Mr Doreswamy said.
Beku Beda Manifesto
- Traffic
– Set up UMTA
– Double the bus fleet, halve bus fares
– Increase frequency of Metro; add coaches
– Integrate public transport with last-mile connectivity
- Roads
– No signal-free elevated corridors within ORR
– Roads should be of better quality and pothole-free.
– Maintenance should be pre-emptive
– Restore storm-water and shoulder drains
– Levy parking and congestion charges on private vehicles.
- Pollution
– Stop sewage from entering lakes
– At least one outdoor air quality monitor in every ward
– No trees to be cut without public consultation
– Tree plantation drives in every ward with community
ownership
- Planning
– Planning by MPC, not BDA
– Enforce zoning laws. Devise Bengaluru specific zoning laws
n Health and Sanitation
– Working STP capacity and manhole cleaning machines
– Toilets must be clean, usable, accessible for all
- Pedestrians
– Pedestrians always try to cross at grade level
– No skywalks except on ring roads and highways
n Citizens participation
– Any project over Rs 10 crore should be approved through a referendum
– Consult citizens in planning activities
- Housing
– RERA compliance
– Enforce zoning laws
– No Akrama-Sakrama
n Garbage
– Garbage contracts must mandate segregated waste handling
– Ensure timely and at least minimum wages for contract pourakarmikas
- Water
– Water to every household
– 10,000 open wells
– Lake water should be made potable
