“Mumbai must be driven by technology”
Ashish Shelar
“Mumbai must be driven by technology” – Ashish Shelar
“Ashish Shelar is a visionary and strives to realise all his dreams. During his term as Bombay Municipal Corporation councillor, I have seen him study issues in depth and then discuss serious and viable solutions with other members. His modern outlook and competent manner got due recognition when he was re-elected to the BMC in 2007 by a record margin of votes. His tenure was marked by detailed study of issues touching the lives of Mumbai’s residents, efficient functioning and a resolute stand on civic concerns. Ashish is a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and is also the BJP’s Mumbai chief.” — Rtn. Nanik Rupani
Good afternoon, President Nirav Shah, dignitaries on the dais , my friend Nanik Rupani and ladies and gentlemen. I am uncomfortable today for two reasons: first, I am not used to such an exalted introduction as the one I have been given today and, second, I am in a dilemma as to which aspects of Mumbai’s development I should speak about. If I talk about issues, you might feel you know them all; if I propose solutions, you are likely to think of them as futile since I do not belong to the ruling party.
I have thus restricted myself to issues that like-minded people will lobby for and ones that are also likely to find favour for solutions with any political party that might be in power.
The definition of Rotary, which I found on the internet, encourages me. Rotary, as defined in 1976, is “an organisation of business and professional people united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world”. These 31 words motivate me to appeal to you to lobby with the powers that be on all issues that are pertinent to the city.
The city of Detroit in USA is, by the admission of its government, literally in bankruptcy. There are no jobs and more than 40 per cent of street lights are not functioning. In Asia, Singapore is doing better because it has energy solutions for house-building and is concerned about carbon dioxide emissions. It has discussed water conservation and has a new water proposal that proposes to save water and also improve the quality of life of its people.
I placed Singapore at one end and Detroit on the other to find out on which side of the scale Mumbai lay; I am happy that Mumbai’s prospects do not look very bad. The past may not be encouraging, but if the present is reworked, we can have a good future.
Mumbai’s development can be divided into three phases, with the fourth phase yet to come up. In the pre-Independence years from 1901-1947, the development view was “bird’s eye”. Albeit, most elements of development existed in the main town, they disappeared as one moved towards the suburbs. The suburbs were developed in the second phase, which began after Independence. From 1950 to 1980, the city was exploited for its land, with a host of builders trying to make money from it. Hindi movies such as Trishul and Deewar portray this. It is only after 1980, in the third phase, that Mumbai began to be developed in a more or less planned manner.
For the fourth phase, I dream of a technologically-driven Mumbai. However, this can materialise only if there is a strong lobby.
The city has a host of issues that need a solution: transport, infrastructure, carbon-dioxide emission, health and more. Solutions have to be devised after proper homework. In Mumbai, there are more than 20 lakh vehicles and, every day, 450 new vehicles are being registered. Taxis count for more than 60,000 vehicles. The question that comes to mind immediately is: where do these vehicles park? Does the government think about carbon emission, sound pollution and other issues?
I was shocked to learn about the level of noise pollution in the city. The Central Pollution Control Board says that in residential areas decibel levels should be below 45. But in most of Mumbai’s residential areas, decibel levels are actually 74. In commercial areas, it is 83 decibels and people who live near the airport are exposed to 92 decibels!
Finding technological solutions is, thus, the need of the hour.
Two-thirds of the city is surrounded by sea water and immersion of sewage is approximately 2,670 million litres daily. We are the largest producers of sewage in the world and we throw this into the sea without treating it. We have a treatment plant in Ghatkopar which only aerates. It pumps air into the sewage compartment and relies on air-loving bacteria to break down the sewage and render the effluents harmless.
You must have travelled worldwide and seen other technological solutions to the sewage problem. Therefore, what we need to do now is debate on the various available technologies for sewage treatment — activated sludge procedures, SBR, MPR — in order to zero in on the appropriate one.
The Rotary Club should take the lead in lobbying for the right technology for treating the city’s sewage. We discuss humanitarian solutions to problems but do not come up with them. This city produces 6,000 metric tonnes of mixed garbage in a day and this is a big challenge. Food waste accounts for approximately 50 per cent, wood and clothes more than 15 per cent, plastic nine per cent… This mixed garbage accumulates at one place and then goes to Deonar, Gorai or Kanjurmarg. The garbage heap at Deonar has reached such levels that the BMC has had to seek permission from the Airports Authority of India to allow it to increase the height of the dumping ground from 35 to 50 metres.
Now, what kind of technology do we need to adopt to solve this problem? We need a technological answer for a technologically-driven Mumbai.
It is also shocking to learn that the silica which is present in our drinking water can cause cancer. By the BMC Commissioner’s own admission, 16.37 per cent of water in Mumbai is unfit for drinking. There is not a single laboratory in Mumbai that can separate silica from water and give us a solution.
According to the Surveyor General of India, the area of Mumbai is 603 sq. km, of which only 453 sq. km is above sea level. Residential zone comprises 49 per cent while no-development zone accounts for 30 per cent. The question here is: how does the city utilise its no-development zone properly?
There are other simple issues. For example, there are 237 gardens in Mumbai, but not one thematic garden. There are 85 statues, but they stand unprotected. There are 229 traffic islands but most are not properly maintained. Even proper treatment and design of traffic islands can help us change the look of the city!
There is another significant issue — the issue of law and judiciary. What kind of judicial reforms do we have? I do not know how many of you have gone to the local magistrate’s court or to the BMC court or family court. Twenty per cent of posts are lying vacant in the family court. We still have the same number of policemen that we had in 1962. Moreover, are our pleaders capable of praying for justice?
I had once visited a sprawling campus in Washington DC which I had presumed to be a university. I was pleasantly surprised to find out later that the campus consisted of a single college and it was dedicated to the training of public prosecutors. I still remember what one of its plaques proudly proclaimed: “If you want to have a good city or a good society, you need to have good pleaders.”
Since the very beginning, Mumbai has been known for business. Today, even the real estate business is facing a slump. If one desires to develop a building, one has to overcome multiple hurdles — premium, permission of high rise committee, environment protection, airport and railway authority permission, MMRDA authority no-objection and so many more. Again, even if one wants to rent out space, one has to be cognisant of higher property tax because taxation is now based on capital value. Hence, the rental business is also suffering.
I feel that on all these counts, technology can help bring change.
The central government is discussing the Food Security Bill and I was trying to find how many ration card holders are there in Mumbai as of January 2012. I found that, according to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra, only 40 lakh people have ration cards. Of this, many may not be using the cards; there could also be a number of fake ration cards. So, we can safely say that there are approximately 30 lakh ration card holders. But, we also do not have enough warehouses and have only 2,000 fair price shops.
We have to, thus, think of technology that will systemise public distribution and give a solution to the food problem.
Maharashtra has natural resources that have been valued approximately at Rs. 6,87,000 crore. Its businessmen have received financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 36,000 crore. However, the state’s debt burden stands at Rs. 25,148 crore. This is a pity because in spite of being rich in natural resources and getting financial assistance, the state has such a debt burden.
It is obvious that our human index shows a downward turn. We need to lobby with politicians and bureaucrats. We also need to talk to the people and the press. Mumbai has many things to be proud of but we cannot forget that the source of light for many in this city is still kerosene. We cannot forget that 33 per cent of its population do not have sanitary facilities in their homes. We cannot forget that more than six percent of its total populace bathes in unenclosed spaces and 17 per cent uses kerosene as cooking fuel.
I may not be in the government. My party also may not be in the government but I want all who care for the city to rethink issues that are essential to Mumbai’s survival. There has to be enough thought on finding technological solutions since that is the only way ahead for the city.
I appeal to people like you who have travelled the world, who have exposure to business and new thoughts and ideas, to spare some time and push for a better Mumbai.
Excerpts from a Q & A session:
Q: Is mindset more important than technology? You have said our police force is small in count. However, most policemen are used for VIP security. Also, can we not utilise waterways as a means of transport?
Ashish Shelar: After several deliberations in the state assembly, the government is now rethinking the issue of VIP security. It claims that it has already curtailed the number of security personnel assigned to VIPs. As a member of the legislative council, I will surely raise this issue.
As far as using the sea as a means of transport is concerned, the state government has called for tenders. Simultaneously, it also wants individuals and private concerns to develop the land along the route by building five-stars hotels and the like. In fact, there is an ongoing debate on the issue.
Q: We often find that there are 15 cars for just one person: a police car, an ambulance and so on. I once attended a conference inaugurated by the King of Spain and remember that the King came in with just two people.
Ashish Shelar: I think we will have to wait many more years before such a thing happens in India.
Q: I think the three Ps — politicians, population and pollution — have ruined the country. The World Bank has given millions of dollars to the MMRDA; where is the money going? There is human greed and we have to be very strict about people who give and take bribes. I do not think we have much hope. Bombay is gone. What would you suggest?
Ashish Shelar: I think we should not lose hope. Second, all politicians need to rethink. The answer lies in two Ps — people’s power. It lies with you. I appeal to all of you to execute the two Ps in a more diligent way.
Q: You have mentioned that your party is not in power. However, your party is the ruling party in the BMC. What is the actual role of the political arm of the BMC in the running, managing and implementation of projects in the city?
Ashish Shelar: This is a relevant question and very close to my heart since I have been a BMC councillor for ten years. The general impression is that the party that has the majority in the BMC is the ruling party and can decide on schemes. But, we are governed by the 1888 BMC Act, whereby it is the BMC Commissioner who proposes — and elected representatives, whether of the ruling party or opposition — affirms or dissents.
However, the commissioner is appointed by the chief minister and his loyalty obviously lies with the latter.
But, we can make little change. For instance, when there was a proposal to demolish the heritage Crawford Market building and construct a new market, some of us opposed the move. So, there is a need to push elected representatives, no matter which party they belong to, on certain issues. We need to make them speak so that they can create an impression. At the policy enactment level, however, the story is different. Here, one has to have the support of the state government.