TOI’s call for a voter manifesto received an overwhelming response from readers. Here are the top 10 civic issues they want the parties, competing in this election against the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, to focus
Conserve water, control pollution
* Ensure that all households receive a daily supply of clean water.
* Crack down on illegal connections; waive the water fee for the poor
* Repair leaking pipes to stop drinking water contamination.
* Reinforce the rule that makes rainwater collection wells mandatory in all buildings
Cover increasing levels of contamination
* Impound polluting cars; impose fines
* Make punishment stricter for polluting industries
* Strengthen patrol teams to monitor contamination levels in all areas
* Control the use of speakers to
Protect parks, lung spaces
* Conserve municipal parks in colonias; carry out periodic checks
* Develop more parks in areas with limited green coverage
* Rope in RWA for the maintenance of parks; undertake plantation campaigns
* Strengthen the tree protection committee; stop arbitrary felling of trees
* Take action against public and private parks that threaten to invade parks Public rallies, private ceremonies
Boost public transport
* Revive connectivity, add buses in areas with limited services
* Build more bus canopies for passengers
* Strengthen the MMTS network; extend subway connection
* Encourage more people to use public transport
Recarpet, repair roads
* Repair, renew the roads that were damaged by recent rains
* Award road projects to honest and responsible contractors.
* Fix the level of the sewers to make sure they are level with the roads
* Extend roads where needed for smooth traffic flow
* Install streetlights in dark sections
Strengthen the drainage system
* Create a database of damaged pipes, broken manholes
* Repair lines that report sewer items overflow on a routine basis
* Assume the replacement of the old pipe gradually
* Fix the sewers before the next monsoon to avoid more adverse incidents
Revive, reconnect the lake network
* Identify diseased bodies of water; create official record
* Eliminate invasions whenever possible
* Undertake the dredging activity; improve retention capacity
* Establish a working group to monitor the lakes; avoid illegal activity
* Set STP to make sure dirty water doesn’t drain into them
Make towns litter free
* Strictly implement door-to-door trash collection
* Ensure regular garbage collection from public containers; road sweeping
* Make the staff responsible for such tasks more accountable
* Impose heavy fines on people who litter in public spaces
Strengthen building regulations
* Take immediate action against invaders; demolish illegal structures
* Tighten the rope around the building permits
* Prepare a master plan to ensure the city doesn’t grow randomly
* Impose high penalties, including imprisonment, on repeat offenders
Protect heritage
* Undertake the restoration of ruined structures.
* Get professional conservation architects, not contractors, for the job.
* Use heritage buildings for public purposes: library, cultural center, etc.
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