Civic Services | Programmes on Civic Services

Agni organizes Meet Your Police Commissioner event

Mumbai Police Commissioner Mr. Vivek Phansalkar attended an “AGNI Meet your Police” event organized by Agni H-West Ward at Bandra. While speaking on the occasion, he expressed concern on the increase in cyber-crimes in the city and wanted greater awareness amongst citizens on this matter. To gear up with the situation Mumbai Police has a dedicated Cyber Crime Wing headed by a DCP rank officer and have already opened 5 Cyber Police stations exclusively to deal with cyber fraud cases in the city. Over and above every police station now has a dedicated “Cyber Cell” to facilitate citizens to file complaints and to curb rising technology-related cases in the city. The cell comprises a police inspector, two subinspectors and two to three constables. Mumbai is the only city which has so many police stations catering to cyber cases.

Dinesh Ahir Trustee & Convenor of AGNI in his welcome address stated that there is a greater need for citizens and Police to have regular meetings with the authorities on the lines of ALM meetings with BMC. In fact he felt that ALM meetings should also be attended by the local police. This can bring about better coordination amongst BMC & Police to cater to the various issues of citizens relating to hawkers, encroachments, illegal construction, open spaces, footpaths and pavements, etc. The CP agreed and welcomed the idea. In fact he asserted that suitable instructions would be issued to the local police to attend ALM / citizens meetings with the BMC.

On the suggestion by Agni that implementation and enforcement of traffic norms and noise pollution norms need to be strenthened, the CP expressed that citizens should be more responsible to adhere to such norms. Interestingly though the traffic signals were introduced by the Britishers more than 100 years ago, the citizens even the educated ones do not observe the traffic signals. With the increase in number of vehicles including the two wheelers and the city being dug up for various works incl. metro work, there is bound to be traffic woes which cannot be easily resolved by the Police with limited resources available with them. Citizens active cooperation in adhering to such norms only can resolve this problem.

On the question about CCTVs not functioning in some areas, CP said that this may not be true and needs to be verified since daily reports are collected from different location about the functioning of CCTVs. The CCTVs that are not functioning due to technical defects are immediately identified and repaired/ replaced immediately. Government of Maharashtra has provided Mumbai Police a holistic and integrated video surveillance system in Mumbai with the objective of enhancing safety and security in the city. This system is integrated with surveillance systems of different stakeholders with the objective of enhancing safety and security in the city. The CP also informed that additional 5000 CCTVs are being installed in Mumbai soon. The Police Dept. is in coordination with BMC for the same.

H-West Ward social activist Anandini Thakur who facilitated the meeting expressed satisfaction with the support which they get from the local police and felicitated Mr. Anil Paraskar DCP Zone 9 and Mr. Killedar Sr. P. I. (Traffic), Bandra Division.

No Honking Campaign at Chembur

After the Flag Hoisting we distributed the No Honking cards to cars owners. There was a very good response. Some rickshawalas also took the cards and put them in their rickshaws. There were some polismen on bandobast/nakabandi, they also joined to help us. They also put the cards on their car and bikes.

Classes held on Governace for Nuns at Shanti Ghar

Agni Mumbai had conducted a full day class on Governance for Nuns who had come from all over India from as far as Arunachal Pradesh at Shanti Ghar , MIDC , Andheri East on Wed 22 Feb 2012 from morning 10 AM to evening 7 PM

ALM (Advanced Locality Management)

AGNI started out by focusing on civic services, the lifeline of urban living. Linkages were formed with the MCGM, NGOs, and citizen groups. AGNI then promoted formation of ALM (Advanced Locality Management) groups in the city.

An ALM is the MCGM’s framework for citizen participation in civic Governance. The group normally covers buildings with up to 1000 residents. The ALM gets registered with the Ward Office concerned, which then appoints a “nodal officer” to respond to the residents’ civic needs and problems. ALMs are meant to provide “single window access” to all civic services through the Ward Office. AGNI has helped form countless ALMs all over the city and is represented routinely at monthly ALM meetings at Ward and Central levels.

Swachchha Mumbai Abhiyan at Auxilium Convent High School

Swachh Mumbai Abhiyan

School children as change agents in society worked well in an AGNI programme for the civic elections in 2017. A record voter turnout of 55.53% of those enrolled was recorded against merely 40% in 2012. The kids were an important part of a city election promotion package.

Ms. Shyama Kulkarni who led the MCGM elections’ thrust will take charge of AGNI’s Schools 'Swachh Mumbai Abhiyan.'

Three hundred schools have been listed for visiting by AGNI Coordinators. That’s reaching a potential six lakh students or twelve lakh parents.

The goal is getting all households contacted to segregate domestic waste and wet waste to be composted locally or carried away to planned composting sites.

Swachh Mumbai Abhiyan - Survey Form for Schools Download Form

Swachh Mumbai Abhiyan - Survey Form for Societies Download Form

Kindly send us the form duly filled, you can send it via post or email us the scanned copy.

List of various agencies involved in Waste Management View List

Social Audit of Municipal Schools

MCGM’s annual budget for municipal school exceeds Rupees two thousand five hundred crores. In order to improve functioning of municipal school, AGNI took up Social Audit of Municipal Schools in some wards and got permission from the BMC’s Education Dept. for our volunteers to visit the school on the following salient points:-

Student teacher ratio
Check girls toilet if it existed and whether proper hygiene is maintained
Whether the 27 listed items to be give free to students were given on time
Whether there is SMS and how often they meet. It should have 75% parents and balance teachers and whether elections are held as schedule once in two years
Whether mid-day meals provided is edible, tasty, sufficient and palatable
Upto which standard the school has, how many girls and boys and is there drop outs if so how much percent
To check the curriculum and how much portion has been done
To observe no pan, cigarette or drug vendors are within 100 meters from the school and if so the school authority should be advised to lodge a police complaint
And finally visit nearby slums to check if their children attended school or not if not why not

Clean & Green Mumbai

Concerned with the alarming rise in pollution levels, lack of cleanliness and the rapid disappearance of trees and open spaces in the city, AGNI collaborated with the Times of India group, college and school students to “Clean and Green” Mumbai. The project began with a two-day workshop in Lonavla in November 2000, involving 150 college students and programme officers besides AGNI volunteers. Detailed plans and commitment schedules were prepared.

A “Clean and Green Mumbai” week was conceived and launched at a mass meeting in Shanmukhananda Hall. Volunteer groups were set up in 11 Wards to spread awareness during the first phase of the project. The second phase was an exercise in cleaning, greening and vermin-composting in and around Mumbai.

Girgaum Chowpatty Beach Project

AGNI JAAG D Ward, has helped evolve a plan to accommodate bhel puri stall owners on Girgaum-Chowpatty beach after courts had held the area to be recreational and for citizens. Where were the stall owners to go? AGNI participated in site visits, court hearings and numerous discussions with civic authorities. Well known architect and urban planner Rahul Mehrotra designed a solution. It was accepted by the court. Implementation began within weeks, moved by a court-appointed committee on which AGNI was represented.

The committee was put in charge of implementing a master plan for the whole of this heritage beach. This is an example of positive interaction, facilitated by AGNI, involving the municipality and experienced professionals.

Averting Municipal Strikes

In October 2000, Municipal employee unions, demanding high bonus and ex-gratia payments, went on an illegal strike, even denying citizens water supply and essential health services. Severely affected citizens were further angered when Corporators passed a unanimous resolution conceding union demands, and more. This would balloon an already serious MCGM deficit.

Mr. D. M. Sukthankar, Chairman, led a citizen response, challenging the legality of the resolution in the High Court – which promptly struck it down. No bonus and ex-gratia payments were made.

In July 2001, there was a threat of a similar strike. AGNI spread awareness of the impending danger through media, meetings and the JAAGs. The State government was urged to initiate action based on law (the Essential Services Maintenance Act). The strike was averted

Orissa Cyclone Relief

In October 1999, Orissa was struck by a massive cyclone, which caused unprecedented loss of life and property.

AGNI organized a Relief Campaign working with Indian Oil, Bombay Times and Central Railway to set up centres for money and relief materials. AGNI’s NGO network and volunteers manned the collection centres and helped coordinate the whole process. Over 200 tons of relief material were transported to Orissa and a donation of over Rs.45 lakh was made to the Times Relief Fund.

Gujarat Earthquake Relief

On Republic Day 2001 earthquake struck Gujarat with immense loss of life and property. It rendered thousands homeless. AGNI joined forces with Indian Oil, HPCL, and the Times of India to organize a relief drive. IOC and HP petrol stations all over the city, manned by AGNI volunteers, served as collection centres for relief materials and donations.

Rs. 36 lakh were collected for immediate relief. 4000 kitchen kits, 5000 tarpaulin shelter sheets, 100 canvas tents and 2000 woolen blankets were sent to Gujarat. A team of AGNI members coordinated relief operations on the spot.