Very soon, the Government of India is going to upgrade 100 cities into smart cities. Smart means most active in rendering prompt, transparent and faithful services in all respects round the year. This aim will be fulfilled within five years time.
Five cities of Odisha like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Baleswar are included in this programme. It is certain that Odisha will get a share of Rs 2,500 crore under the scheme. The corporate bodies will invest capital for superfast activism of these cities. The norms and terms for selection of such cities will be decided very soon by the Centre for selection of cities on priority basis.
Such an attempt of the Government of India is most welcome. As civilization is progressing very fast with modern technologies and science, there are four points which should be primarily looked into for smart governance of cities to provide better services including efficient administration. The steps are (1) better sanitation and hygiene (2) better entrepreneurship (3) better administration (4) e – governance. Every year the Union Government will provide Rs 100 crore up to five years for better and efficient start of the smart city scheme. Already the Government has initiated a host of schemes for sanitation and hygiene (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan) and better entrepreneurship (Make in India).
The Swachha Bharat Abhiyan is an excellent programme to keep the environment clean. The environment means the air, water and soil. If we consider the case of our twin city of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, we see that the environment is by and large polluted here. The water and soil are most polluted. Bhubaneswar is the nerve centre of administration yet it is not pollution free. Concrete structures are growing vertically and horizontally every moment which restricts free air to the city dwellers. Moreover, there are various industries, including brick kilns and stone crushers, making the atmosphere dusty and carbonized. The pollution leads to various respiratory diseases among human beings and animals.
The water of the city is highly polluted due to inefficient management of water resources by the administration. The ground water is highly polluted for the reasons of inefficient discharge of rain water and sewage water. Bhubaneswar itself is not absolutely a plain land. It is mostly an undulatory ground where discharge of rain water and sewerage water becomes a problem.
The inclination of ground varies from place to place with varying gradients. The drainage system of the city mostly was constructed during 1961-62. At that time, the population of the capital was very small. But six decades down the lane, much has changed in the demographic status of the city.
As a result, the drainage system is not efficient enough to cater to the need. It needs to be upgraded and improved. Again most of the drainage system and roads of the city are encroached by the city dwellers. The administration is a mute spectator to this. The sewage water which remains stagnated contaminates the ground water and spoils the quality of natural water sources. The ground water is contaminated throughout the year. Both the drainage as well as sewerage systems are so weak in quality of construction and efficiency that they fail to rise to the occasion and render any qualitative service.
The writer is a resident of a plot allotted by the General Administration Department (GA), but so far neither the drainage system nor the sewerage system has been made ready for proper and healthy sanitation of the area, although two decades have passed since the allotment of the plot. Even now the residents of the area are using latrines where temporary pits are made for collection of night soils and other body wastes within their own premises. These are the sources of contamination of ground water and pollution of entire sub- soil water table. This is done with the very knowledge of capital administration.
The JCB machines used for digging the side drain damage the cement pipes. As a result the sewage and rain water mixes and creates problem for clearance of garbage. The whole soil profile and water bodies of the region are under threat due to unscientific drainage and sewerage in the city. So the State administration as well as the environment department should supervise these operations.
Make in India: When the present Government admits that the whole country is heading very fast in corruption and it is very difficult to root it out, one wonders how it is possible to make everything in India. The common man is suffocated due to corruption. Nepotism and scams rule the roost. like mining, chit fund, land scams, corruption is now a way of life. Hence, it is very important to tackle corruption first before any real breakthrough is to be made.
Better, efficient and graft-free administration is therefore the answer. Odisha is the land of lord Jagannath. It should be a land of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, rape, murder, theft and robbery are now common affairs in the State.
E- Governance is the best system for speedy delivery of works. It can function from Gram Panchayat level and in case of cities it should function from ward level. The public of each Panchayat or ward should be involved in e- governance. If the local people can be involved for scrutinizing and inspection, the corruptions in public work can be checked to a great extent.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)