Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has resolved to urge the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner to establish Ward Committees in 10 Wards, consisting of local residents, as a pilot initiative.

This decision was reached at the monthly general meeting of the MGP, held at their office on Vivekananda Road in Yadavagiri on Sunday.

Addressing the gathering, Manjunath from Bengaluru-based NGO ‘Janagraha’ expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in forming Ward Committees across City Corporations in the State, despite repeated appeals to the Commissioners.

He highlighted that similar requests had been made to various City Corporations, including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), MCC, Ballari, Hubballi-Dharwad and Mangaluru, but officials have allegedly disregarded these pleas.

Manjunath lamented that despite several years of requesting MCC Commissioners to establish Ward Committees in at least 10 Wards on a trial basis, their appeals have been ignored.

The establishment of Ward Committees is expected to play a pivotal role in curbing corruption in the allocation and execution of contracts. Moreover, these Committees will enable citizens to collaborate with their Corporators to address grievances related to essential services such as water supply, sewage management, road maintenance, park upkeep, electricity, property taxes and completion reports for houses, among others.

Shwetha of ‘Janagraha’ underscored the benefits of establishing Ward Committees. Emphasising that these Committees would enable officials and staff to respond promptly and effectively to local issues, she highlighted the potential advantages in neighbourhoods like Kuvempunagar, Gokulam, Ramakrishnanagar, Bogadi Second Stage, Saraswathipuram and Jayalakshmipuram.

Shwetha stressed the importance of ensuring that Committee members are actively involved in social and public endeavours.

Bhamy V. Shenoy, the Founding-Member of MGP, emphasised that the formation of Ward Committees comprising residents would facilitate a greater focus on cleanliness, hygiene, infrastructure development and other developmental projects.

He believed that such Committees would empower officials to make informed decisions for the comprehensive and integrated development of  Mysuru city.

Given that the MCC Commissioner holds the responsibility and authority to execute such recommendations, there should be no obstacles. Moreover, similar Ward Committees were established previously under the tenure of Manivannan as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Acting MCC Commissioner,  he added.

Addressing the gathering, historian Prof. Rangaraju expressed concern over Mysuru’s current rank of 27th in the national Swachhata rankings, warning that without intervention, the city may plummet further.

He urged the MGP to advocate for the establishment of Ward Committees and the maintenance of cleanliness, stressing the urgency of the matter.

Ten activists from various Wards of the city have volunteered to spearhead the initiative of enrolling 10 members each for their respective wards.