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MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION IN
UTTARAKHAND : AN ANALYSTICAL STUDY OF CHALLENGES & REMEDIES
THE
THESIS
SUBMITTED TO THE KUMAUN UNIVERSITY, NAINITAL FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF
Doctor of Philosophy IN
POLITICAL SCIENCE Supervisor Research Scholar
DR. R.K. GUPTA MAYANK BHATT Principal Deptt. of Political Science Govt. Post Graduate College Govt. M.B.P.G. College Lansdowne Jaiharikhal Haldwani (Nainital) Pauri Garhwal
KUMAUN UNIVERSITY, NAINITAL
(UTTARAKHAND)
2012
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Municipal Administration in Uttarakhand : An Analytical Study of
Challenges & Remedies
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Contents
Chapters Page No.
Acknowledgement I Preface II
Chapter One 1-23 Introduction Chapter Two 24-51 Organization of Municipal Institutions in Uttarakhand
Chapter Three 52-72 Powers and Functions of Municipal Institutions Corporation, Nagar Palika Parishad and Nagar Palika in Uttarakhand
Chapter Four 73-87 Analysis of the Functions of Municipal Institutions
Chapter Five 88-104 Challenges and Problems of Municipal Administration in Uttrakhand
Chapter Six 105-112 Remedies and Suggestions
Chapter-Seven 113-117 Conclusion Bibliography 118-122 Appendix (A) i-xxiii Appendix (B) xxiv-xxvi
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Acknowledgement
I have immense pleasure in recognizing every individual who has supported
me in every moment of my life and motivated me to do research.
I am very grateful to my Supervisor, Prof. R.K. Gupta, Principal, Jaiharikhal,
Lansedown. Who is real executor of all my work and has enormous energy to execute
my ideas into action. He always guided and motivated me.
I warmly from the core of my heart say thank to my parents, family and my
best friends. I specially pay thanks to all the teachers of political science department
who always supported and motivate me. I can't do anything without their cooperation
and encouragement.
I also thank to Libraries Staff Members of Uttarakhand Academy of
Administrators, Kumaun University, and Pant Nagar University.
(Mayank Bhatt)
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Preface Urban local bodies (ULBs)/Municipalities are constituted for the maintenance
and planned development of urban areas. The objective is to ensure that suitable
levels of infrastructure and services are available to the citizens. In many parts of
India, the quality of life in urban areas is miserable and the citizens lead a difficult
life. To overcome this problem, a series of reforms have initiated by the Indian
government to strengthen local-level governance. The main purpose of this research
work is to describe the major issues of governance at the local level and to identify
some important challenges for urban local government bodies in India in general and
Uttarakhand in particular.
Some cities of Uttarakhand have been attracting the people for their livelihood
since the dawn of independence of India from all over the country. They settled there
and this cause the dense population, in the cities. It is observed that there are gray
areas in the emerging urban scenario of the state of Uttarakhand. Cities exert strong
pull on population that in most cases is growing rapidly without matching expansion
in infrastructure that result in immense social and political problems. The enigma is
sharper in less developed parts of the state with higher population density, low
infrastructure and low financial and technology inputs triggering off tensions socially.
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act has given the constitutional status to
the Urban Local Bodies but it has been noticed that Municipalities have failed to
conceive development frame work in judicious manner. All important decisions are
taken by the political head and administrative head of Municipalities. So it is essential
that the main hindrances in the smooth and effective functioning of these municipal
bodies should be eradicated.
Thus to analyse this factors profoundly in order to get accurate results, an
effort has been made with the help of few objectives in the present research work to
know the organizational structure and functioning of Municipal Administration, to
find out the capabilities of Municipal Administration to face the challenges of urban
development, to analyse the views of State Government of Uttarakhand towards
Municipal Administration, to find the possibilities of establishment of social unity and
co-existence in urban areas, and finally find out the suitable strategy to meet the
challenges.
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CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
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Chapter – I
Introduction
Meaning and Importance of Municipal Administration
Local Government or Local Self-Government is the Government of a locality.
It is not the area of the State Government. It is an autonomous unit like the State or
Central Government. It is the local will, not the will of the Centre or State, which is
reflected through the Local Government. National Government is for the whole
nation; hence it is big Government. By contrast, Local Government looks after the
'local' functions like water supply, local streets, garbage collection and disposal and
similar other local heeds. It is small but important Government for a local area, which
can be a town or a group of villages.
The adjective 'local' stands for a small geographical area. Also, it means
intimate social relations of the people in a limited geographical space. The other
word, 'Government' stands for a public authority. In a democracy, Government may
be at national level, state level and the Regional Government at the regional level.
Below the regional level, there is the 'local' level where 'Government' can be legally
constituted. This means, there are many Local Government units below the National
and Regional Governments, which exercise authority and discharge a number of
important local functions on the basis of statutory decentralization.
Local-Self-Government is elected by the people of the local area; it has the
power to levy taxes and other fees, like any other Government; and its functions and
activities are clearly laid down in law so that within the scheme of legislation Local-
Self-Government enjoys a degree of autonomy.
Thus, the Local-Self-Government is a statutorily constituted democratic
Government with a degree of autonomy exercising jurisdiction over a limited
geographical area. The Local-Self-Government in a liberal democracy marks for
decentralization of power. So, it is considered as a means of enriching and deepening
democracy by extending freedom of action to many localities. It was the view of John
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Stuart Mill that Local Government creates conditions for popular participation in
governance, and in this process the system has great educative value for good
citizenship in a country.
There are two common forms of Local Self-Government that is Urban Local
Self-Government and Rural Local Self-Government. In the urban areas- in the cities
and towns -there are Municipal Corporations and Municipalities. According to the
74th Constitutional Amendment the Urban Local-Self-Government has been
classified into three types, that is, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council and
Municipal Committee.
In India, numerous initiatives have been undertaken to strengthen local
governments and to improve service levels in urban areas, importance among these
are the enactment of a set of constitutional provisions, implementation of numerous
urban development programmes and adoption of various innovative practices.
Urban development in India is presently going through a very dynamic stage.
In the first 40 years of the century, the country was still a fully agrarian society and its
proportion of urban population was less than 12%. India's urban population growth
between 1981 and 1991 with 36.19% was much less than the decadal growth of the
1960s and 1970s, but– most relevant – the rate of growth has been much higher in
urban than in rural areas. Particularly important is the fact that the urban population
increased almost ten times between 1901 and 1991, and the number of urban
settlements doubled in this period. Since the beginning of this century, the urban
population has steadily increased to 26% or 217 million in 1991. Among the urban
areas, the small towns are somewhat stagnating while the 23 metropolitan cities (as
per the 1991 census) stand out very prominently as they accommodate about one third
of the total urban population. The largest of these, i.e. Bombay (12.6 million),
Calcutta (11.1 million), Delhi (8.5 million) and Madras (5.5 million) account for
nearly one fourth of all urban population. Of the urban population in many cities some
30-40% of the citizens alone reside in slums and squat settlements, but in India's
industrial capital Bombay already today some 40% of the population lives in slums.
For the year 2001, the National Commission on Urbanization (1988) estimated that
some 75 million will be living in slums and under conditions of multiple deprivation-
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non-availability of affordable land illegal land tenure, deficient environment and
kutcha (i.e. non-permanent) shelter. As a reason for this gloomy picture of an urban
India of slums it is stated that nearly 60% of households cannot afford a conventional
pucca (i.e. permanent) house and the lowest income group, some 10-15% of the
population, cannot even afford a serviced site. Most cities face also great difficulties
in their transport sector. In particular, the poor state of public transport and the lack of
sufficient transport means in terms of quantity and quality, and the rapidly increasing
use of private, motorized vehicles have resulted in chaotic traffic situations. Urban
sprawl has produced massive traffic movements daily, and the largely uncontrolled
utilization of heavily polluting vehicles contributes to substantial air pollution.
Historical Development and Present Perspective
Historical records provide evidence of the existence of organized urban life in
India since the ancient period. An officer was appointed to perform various functions
related to city administration. Subsequently, local institutions were constituted, as
centres of prominence grew, their management became difficult. A number of
problems confronting local governments began to emerge, such as excessive official
control, narrow franchise, meagre resources, lack of education and training shortage
of capable and committed persons, and inadequate control of local bodies over
services.1 A need was felt to strengthen the local government institutions that would
look after the day-to-day civic affairs in an efficient manner. A number of steps were
taken from time to time in an attempt to reform local government- decentralization of
authority, powers, functions and funds to lower levels of government; democratization
of local governments; providing greater autonomy; granting constitutional status;
amendments in municipal Acts; etc. Table-1. During the period of reforms, issues
related to sharing of power between the officials and non-officials affiliated to the
local government emerged prominently. A major achievement of the Indian
Government in their endeavour to strengthen urban local governments is the
enactment of the Constitution (seventy-fourth amendment) Act during the year 1992.2
The Act provides for initiating reforms in the constitution, composition and
functioning of urban local governments (Table-1) and empowers State governments to
amend their Municipal Acts accordingly.3 Since the enactment of the Act, most State
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Governments in India have carried out the legislative reforms at local government
level. In recent times, several attempts have been made to assess the impact of the
seventy-fourth amendment Act provisions.
Table 1
Evolution of Municipalities in India
Time Period Developments
2300-1750 BC(Indus
Valley Civilisation)
Evidence of organized urban life-wide streets, market
places, public offices, community baths, drainage and
sewerage system
Post Mauryan Appointment of a chief executive officer to perform
various functions related to city administration;
responsible for city's sanitation, which included
maintenance of drainage system and cleanliness of
roads
320-540 AD (Gupta) Towns administered by a council
Provision of having elected administrative officers
1526-1707 AD
(Mughal)
Municipal administration vested in kotwal, who was
the city governor possessing powers and duties of the
chief of city police, magistrate and prefect of
municipal administration
Between
disintegration of
Mughal Empire and
advent of the British
Anarchy and military feudalism in most parts of the
country
Local institutions perverted or weakened
1642 Sir Josia Child obtains a Charter from the British
Monarch, James II, to set up a corporation at Madras
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1720 A royal Charter issued for establishing a mayor's court
in each of the three presidency towns of Madras,
Bombay and Calcutta7
1793 Governor-General in council empowered to appoint
justices of peace for the presidency towns from among
civilians and the British subjects, who were vested
with the authority to impose taxes on houses and lands
to provide for the sanitation of towns
By a Charter Act, the British establish local
institutions in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras
1850 Act passed to permit formation of local committees to
make better provisions for public health and
convenience; Act provided for levy of indirect taxes to
which people were accustomed
Up to 1863 Local institutions in urban areas did not make much
progress and were confined to about 20 towns
People had no opportunity to participate in the
functioning of these institutions
Royal Army Sanitation Commission point out the fast
deteriorating sanitary condition of towns all over the
country
Government of India pass several municipal Acts for
various provinces authorizing governors to order the
formation of a municipality in any urban area
1870 Lord Mayor's resolution released; provided for
decentralization of administration from the centre to
the provinces; emphasized the idea of increased
association of Indians in administration; indicated
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extension of municipal self government; encouraged
the general application of the principle of election
Municipal Acts passed to enlarge municipal powers,
extend election system and introduce the system of
local finance, but the provision was little applied in
practice as the district officers in those days were not
sympathetic to the idea of extension of the elective
principle
Municipalities established in every town of
importance. However, these municipal bodies were
completely under the control of the district magistrate
and the town people were associated only for raising
funds for the maintenance of police, conservancy and
road repairs
After 1870 and up to
1880
Social and economic changes experienced by the
Indian society
Educated Indians demand more political rights and
greater share in administration and public services
Principle of local self-government put into practice
only in the cities of Calcutta and Bombay and in a few
of the towns of Central Provinces and North Western
Provinces.
Elsewhere, although a framework of local
administration and local taxation existed, control was
firmly in the hands of the servants of the government
1882 Lord Ripon's resolution released; advocated for
establishment of a network of local self-government
institutions; reduction of the official element of not
more than a third of the total membership; a large
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measure of financial decentralization; adoption of
election as a means of constituting local bodies
Municipal Acts passed; However, Lord Ripon's
reforms achieved little success, since they were
considered too radical
1888 Functioning of local governments for several years
had some positive results. Presidency town attain a
system of responsible government. Under the Bombay
City Municipal Corporation Act, 1988, the city council
of Bombay was constituted of a majority of elected
and nominated members. A 'standing committee' of
the council, which had an elected chairman, was also
formed to undertake the major portion of the work of
the council
1907 Royal Commission on Decentralization set up to
enquire into the financial and administrative relations
of the Government of India and the provincial
governments and subordinate authorities
Commission recommendations similar to Lord Ripon's
proposals
Municipal Acts of several provinces amended, but no
real progress achieved
Local self government continued to be one of the
functions of the district officer
1914-1919 National movement for independence gains
momentum
1917 Declaration released: associate Indians in every
branch of administration; gradual development of self-
government institutions
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Montague-Chelmsford reforms introduced to make
local self government representative and responsible
Government of India Act, 1919 enacted; responsibility
for local government transferred from the hands of the
district officers to a department controlled by a
popular minister; franchise for election to local bodies
substantially widened. In some provinces, the
municipal bodies were given the power to raise or
lower rates of taxes within the statutory limits. The
popular ministers of provincial governments
proceeded to establish elected councils and gave
executive authority to the elected chairman
Up to 1947 Laws governing local bodies enacted during the period
1917 to 1937 fail to prescribe an effective system for
day-to-day management of municipal affairs; hardly
any attention paid to the question of administrative
efficiency and fixation of responsibility for proper
performance of municipal functions
Transfer of power from official hand resulted in
inefficiency
Several municipalities superseded on the charges of
corruption and inefficiency
India attain independence in 1947
1950 New constitution prepared; contained provisions for
rural settlements only; a reference to urban local
government observed only in two entries; (a) Entry 58
List II of the Seventh Schedule (the State List; and (b)
Entry 209 of List III (Concurrent List)
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Constitution places local government, including urban
local government, within the legislative competence of
the State
In the absence of constitutional recognition and clear
statutory delineation of their powers, functions and
resources, urban local governments remain neglected;
only few changes made in their structure and
functioning
Since 1949 Numerous committees and commissions appointed by
the Central and State governments to study the
functioning of urban local governments and to give
recommendations for their improvement
Numerous seminars and conferences convened on
various topics concerning urban local governments
Central Council of local Self-Government set up in
1954 to examine the problems of urban local
governments
Responsibility of urban local government transferred
from one ministry to the other, namely Ministry of
Health; Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban
Development (1966); Ministry of Health, Family
Planning, Works, Housing and Urban Development
(1967); Ministry of Works and Housing (1973)
1985 Ministry of Urban Development established; assisted
by several departments
National Commission on Urbanization set up to assess
problems caused by urbanization and to suggest
measures to combat this phenomenon
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1989 Attempt to introduce the Constitution (63rd
Amendment) Bill; also known as Nagarpalika
(Municipality) Bill; contained provisions for
strengthening of urban local governments
Bill defeated in the parliament by a narrow margin of
three votes
1991 Bill named Constitution (73rd Amendment) Bill
introduced again by the government
Bill rejected and described as an encroachment on the
rights of state government
1992 Constitution (74th Amendment) Act finally accepted
and enacted; contains provisions for (a) constitution of
a uniform typology of municipalities; (b) composition
of municipalities; (c) construction and composition of
wards committees; (d) elections and reservation of
seats; (e) duration of municipalities; (f) powers,
authority and responsibilities of municipalities; (g)
constitution of state finance commissions, committees
for district planning and metropolitan planning
Source: Report of the Committee of Ministers Constituted by the Central Council of
Local Self Government (1963); Government of India (1966); Sachdeva,
Pradeep (1993); Constitutional Provisions Relating to Village Panchayats
and Municipalities in India (1999)
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Table- 2
Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act Provisions
Constitution of Municipalities (namely, Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council, and Nagar Panchayat) in every Indian State
Constitution of Wards Committees within the territorial area of a municipality,
to ensure people's participation in civic affairs at the grass-roots level
Regular and fair conduct of municipal Elections by statutorily constituted
State Election Commissions; no provision for super session of municipal
governments for more than 6 months;
Adequate representation of weaker sections (i.e. Scheduled caste, Scheduled
Tribe, Backward Class) of the society and women in municipal government
through reservation of seats;
Specification by law, through the State Legislatures, of the powers (including
financial) and functional responsibilities to be entrusted to municipalities and
wards committees
Constitution of State Finance Commissions, once in every 5 years, to review
the financial position of municipalities and to make recommendations on the
measures needed to improve their financial position;
Constitution of a District Planning Committee at the district level and a
Metropolitan Planning Committee in metropolitan areas of every State, for the
preparation and consolidation of development plans
Source: Constitutional Provisions Relating to Village Panchayats and municipalities
in India (1999)
The Government of India is committed to achieving both sustained economic
growth and improved regional balance4. As a hilly and relatively economically
backward State, Uttarakhand is one of the states singled out by Government of India
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(GoI) for “special category” status which inter alia brings fiscal benefits and
discretionary finance from the centre. Through its vision 2020, the Government of
Uttarakhand (GoU) has made a commitment to reform and to supporting enhanced
economic growth. Under this policy, GoU has placed emphasis on the development of
its urban local bodies in order to enhance their competitiveness and improve the
quality of life of their citizens. In pursuit of this goal, GoU has requested assistance
from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the sustainable growth of its
urban sector. As a result, the ADB has agreed to support the improvement of urban
infrastructure and services, governance and management in the state through the
Uttaranchal Urban Development Project (UUDP)– now renamed the Uttarakhand
Urban Sector Development Program (UUSDP). Furthermore, the ADB has agreed to
provide technical assistance (TA) to the government in the form of a Project
Preparation Technical Assistance (PPTA) grant to support preparation of the program.
The purpose of this joint GoU and ADB initiative is to provide assistance to GoU in
the design of a Sector Plan and Program for potential GoU, GoI and ADB financing.
The GoU has engaged a team of consultants5 to: (i) assess the status of urban sector
development and service provision in the state; (ii) prepare City Development Plans
for the three towns included under GoI’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM)6, and (iii) prepare an urban sector project for possible ADB
funding. The objective of the ADB PPTA is to assist the GoU and its consultants in:
(i) assessing the status of the urban sector in Uttarakhand, its strengths and
weaknesses, and opportunities for future growth and service improvement; and (ii)
preparation of a project (program) suitable for ADB financing that will improve the
urban environment and living conditions of urban residents, and especially the poor,
and enhance economic growth prospects and status of participating towns. The PPTA
will also assess the institutional absorptive capacities of the executing and
implementing agencies for utilizing the loan funds, and will identify and detail a
package of capacity building initiatives to support project sustainability and improved
local governance and management.
To support the GoU consultants, a team of consultants7 has been mobilized
intermittently in Uttarakhand from February 27th 2006 for a period of ten months
under an ADB PPTA, to: (i) work with GoU and its consultants in carrying out the
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project preparation activities, and (ii) ensure that the proposed program complies with
ADB requirements. The methodology of approach of the joint GoU and ADB PPTA
teams involved: (i) collection and review of secondary data available on the urban
sector and potential program towns; (ii) meetings and discussions with local
governments and a wide range of stakeholders, including those from non-government,
voluntary, and other civil society organizations, in the potential program towns; (iii)
meetings and discussions with concerned departments of state government, utility
companies and other international donors and NGOs; (iv) visits to existing
infrastructure facilities and potential project sites; (v) selection of priority towns for
inclusion in the program; (vi) conducting of detailed infrastructure deficiency
analysis, social surveys, institutional analyses and investigations to complete data
gaps in these sample towns5; (vii) analysis and synthesis of this information as the
basis for the program package and selection of sample sub-projects presented in this
report; and (viii) completion of samples sub-project feasibility studies and safeguards
analysis.
Research Methodology and Research Process
The progress of an area depends to a large extent upon the availability of
suitable infrastructure and services. There are many developing countries in the world
where service levels in urban areas are much below the standards and the citizens lead
to difficult life. It is obvious that such conditions also affect adversely the productivity
of urban areas. Much of the blame for the prevailing situation goes to the local
government institutions, which are the main actors in the governance process at the
local level. This is due to the fact that urban local bodies (ULBs) (also known as
municipalities), on the one hand, recover costs incurred in service provision by
levying a variety of taxes and non- taxes, and on the other, fail to meet the
expectations of the citizens.
Research context
Local governments are unable to perform well due to various reasons.
Therefore, an important area requiring urgent research is the Municipal
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Administration. There are a number of issues concerning local governments that have
not been highlighted adequately in the literature.
This research has relevance to the on-going work on 'governance'8 A review of
literature on governance reveals that extensive research is under way to evolve
suitable criteria and methodology for achieving 'good governance'.9 This is due to the
realization that a significant reason for the poor quality of life in urban areas of
developing countries is poor urban governance. In a number of countries, including
India, national and regional campaigns on urban governance are being implemented to
translate good governance principle into practice.10 However this evidence to show
that the reach and impact of such campaigns is limited and observed in respect of the
Centre and State government supported programmes. This shows that despite
numerous efforts, several municipalities in India continue to remain plagued by a
number of problems, which affect their performance adversely. This research is,
therefore, based on the hypothesis that there exist various local-level problems of
governance that hinder the quality of life in urban areas.
Research Questions
This study focuses on the functioning of a select Municipal Administration in
Uttarakhand attempts to address the following two basic research questions:
Which components should be reviewed to understand the form of an
urban local government in Uttarakhand?
What are the major issues of challenges and remedies at the municipal
level in Uttarakhand?
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Review of Literature
Tapeper, E. (1966)
Bangladesh: Government That Works: Reforming the Public Sector (Dhaka:
University Press Limited)
Pakistan's experience (1947-1971) with 'local self-government' was no better
than the British. During the first decade of Pakistan's existence as a sovereign state it
did nothing but kept the inherited British system excepting the local boards. In 1959 a
four-tiered local government system called the Basic Democracy (BD) was
introduced. The union council, thana council, the district council and divisional
council together constituted the BD system and all bodies were constituted in such a
manner as to ensure the domination of officials in them (Tepper, 1966: 107
Rahman, H.Z. and Islam, S.A. 2002
Local Governance and Community Capacities: Search for New Frontiers
(Dhaka: University Press Limited)
The issue of local governance presents a peculiar and frustrating paradox in
Bangladesh. While rhetorical commitment to the issue has effective and vibrant local
government sector remains conspicuously meagre. Local government bodies may
provide an effective means to promote people's participation in the rural development
activities. But the representative character of local bodies is hardly found even though
powerful local government system is very much desirable especially in a country like
Bangladesh where majority of the people live in the rural areas
Government of India, National Policy for Urban Street Vendors, 2009,
Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
Street vendors constitute approximately 2 per cent of the population of a
metropolis. The total number of street vendors in the country is estimated at around 1
crore. Urban street vending is not only a source of employment but provides
'affordable' services to the majority of urban population. Street vendors provide
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valuable services to the urban population while trying to earn a livelihood through
their own enterprise, limited resources and labour. They facilitate convenient,
efficient and cost effective distribution of goods and services to the public. They also
contribute significantly to local economic growth and vitality of the urban economies.
The role played by the hawkers in the economy as also in the society needs to be
given due credit but they are considered as unlawful entities and are subjected to
continuous harassment by police and civic authorities. The Policy recognizes that
street vendors constitute an integral and legitimate part of the urban retail trade and
distribution system for daily necessities of the general public. As the street vendors
assist the government in combating unemployment and poverty, it is the duty of the
State to protect the right of this segment of population to earn their livelihood.
A.K. Jain, 2008
A Sustainable Vision for Urban India, Kalpak Publications, New Delhi
The book focuses on the interplay of the decentralization, governance and
societal processes in India. It puts the current status of democratic decentralization
against the backdrop of the historical events and fundamental tenets of democratic
decentralization. Of special concern to the author is the situation at the grassroots.
This has been done with a strong emphasis on enabling an insight into whether the
progress till date could do full justice to an intended purpose of the laws enacted:
participation and say of the marginalised in the system and institutions of democratic
decentralization. The perspective carries significance in societies where, as very
rightly emphasized by the author, a plethora of inequalities arise out of
discriminations on various premises such as Casteism. This drives a serious query on
the premise whether the ground has been suitably prepared to use the power. Else the
same power can be source of further exploitation and increasing gaps.
The fact that India being a communitarian society forms the premise for the
book to track the inter-relationship, of harmony and conflict, between the
Constitutional Law and Community Laws. The book pegs the 73rd and 74th
Amendment Acts to the constitution which drive promotion of decentralization in
India in the context of existing (traditional) community institutions with the
dispensations about constitutional arrangement making the traditional structures more
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inclusive or at least avoiding any conflict between the two. The author further
characterizes the nature of democratic governance needed at the grassroots. It has to
be inclusive and participatory. A crucial plus of the book is its action orientation.
Thus, the author does not stop at educadating the characteristics of the democratic
governance at the grassroots but also puts forth the actions towards attaining it.
The book unfolds through ten articles. The introductory first chapter leads to
the second chapter which puts forth a perspective on the current status and associated
factors and problems. It makes a strong case for demystification of the governance,
development and administration at the grassroots through the new system. The third
chapter talks about transformation needed in the administrative system at the
grassroots for effective decentralization. It tracks the efficacy of the administrative
system in its current form and the changes needed therein. The fourth chapter serves
the logical continuation with identification of areas for strengthening local governance
in the country. The relation between centre and state is another crucial parameter that
is covered in the fifth chapter.
The sixth chapter focuses on one of the most crucial elements of the books
from 'equity Gram Panchayat leaders. It talks about the treatment and transformation
in Dalit leaders and populace post reservations in local governments through the
amendments, and the behavioural dynamics vis-a-vis others.
Before taking stock of Gram Sabha as a tool for participatory democracy
(Chapter 8) and assessing role of Panchayats in delivering basic services (Chapter 9),
the book indulges us into what should be most prominent feature of the book: it
highlights abn issue higher to less debated..........the interrelationship between the
Constitutional Law and Community Laws. Thus the seventh chapter dedicates itself
to the issues of synergy and divergence between these two sets of laws.
The book concludes by educidating the roles and responsibilities of various
stakeholders associated with strengthening the democratic decentralization. It also
keeps a specific focus on the crucial roles civil society and local bodies can play.
The book leaves a feeling that the gender issues could have been highlighted
to a greater extent. Though for sure the book is not oblivious to these issues, gender
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issues and women's empowerment envisaged and achieved or otherwise could have
enabled deeper introspection. Barring missing the link of chapter numbers to their
summary for chapter 5 onwards in the introductory part, the book hardly has any
lapses in its flow.
A key feature of the book is the case studies which enable the reader to
understand the grassroots issues through specific examples. The rooting of the book in
the grassroots and narration through examples has made the book an interesting read
to the eyes of the academicians and the practioners as well.
G. Palanithurai, 2009
Decentralization in India Critical Issues from the Field By Concept Publishing
Company, New Delhi
The author, A.K. Jain in his book, A Sustainable Vision for Urban India gives
a hard look at urban reality and underlines the need to adopt the beauty of simplicity,
spirituality, sincerity and sustainability in place of fast-paced economy oriented
development. Learning from the inherent wisdom of nature and cities of the past, a
city should be infused with contemporary sensibilities. India is passing through a rare
historic moment in aligning urban growth and development with complex political,
economic and social trends. What is required is to actively engage and draw
inspiration from traditional social and physical heritage together with ethics of care,
respect and honesty. A city is like an organism, always growing, evolving and self-
adjusting according to new needs that arise. A city, as such, should manifest the
networks, human relationships and connections.
The author advocates that a sustainable city should promote community
empowerment together with decentralization, devolution and deregulation of planning
process. It should support and encourage a pro-poor, people-cantered approach
towards self-rule, self-reliance and self-build with the local and simple solutions
based on a comprehensive understanding of the issues and the processes. This book
attempts to build a new vision in a comprehensive perspective dedicated towards the
goal of sustainable urban India.
(27)
Bapat, M. 1987
Inherent Limitations of the Scheme for Environmental Improvement of Slums in
India, TRIALOG, Darmstadt
Urban master planning in India-aid elsewhere across the world- is in a crisis.
The present practice is too slow in recording and reacting to developments in the
field, rigid and centralized; and additionally it negates participation of the community
in the process of plan formulation. It can also be argued that master planning has not
been "an instrument capable of providing the necessary intervention to create access
of adequate housing and services to the low-income population" (Bpat 1993, p. 79).
Instead Town Planning and application of Town Planning Acts has marginalized the
poor compelled to live in unauthorized settlements.
Turner A. 1992
Urban planning in the Developing World: Lessons from Experience, Habitat
International, Oxford
There is also serious doubt whether (large) cities can be 'planned' in detail.
The case of Madras to prepare 'detailed development plans' for every square metre
illustrates the failure of this approach. "By spreading professional manpower so
thinly, the level of thought that went into each area plan was so low that the plans
were meaningless except as records of the status quo. What is required is a viable set
of urban policies, with detailed proposals for relatively few key areas"
Kaul S. 1995
Need for Adaptation of Mixed Land-use Planning Approach, Patio-economic
Development Record, New Delhi
Many master plans are drawn up in lengthy procedures, and at the time of their
approval they already outdated due to the speed of developments or unprecedented
urban development trends. This particular failure of the master planning has been
documented dramatically in the case of Bombay (D'Souza 1992) which went through
an extremely lengthy planning and approval process while latest developments of the
(28)
metropolis are making it already obsolete. While metropolitan and large cities do have
their own master plans, quite an umber of the medium and small cities do not have
any current master plan.
McNeil, D. 1985
Planning with Implementation in View, Third World Planning Review,
Liverpool
Many of the master plans do not reflect an urban development strategy and
policy, and the current master plans do not provide financially viable investment
packages which are rather long-term wishful lists (UNCHS, 1994). Hence, any
implementation of proposed programmes and projects also tends to be executed in a
piecemeal fashion.
After six decades of the Independence, India still has about one-fourth of it
population, a mammoth 300 millions, below the poverty line or at the bottom of
pyramid. It raises the question of the relevance of the planning process and ongoing
perceptions, process, plans and programmes. The urban and environmental challenges
prompt a reconsideration of the values, goals and means of achieving them. There is a
widespread prevalence of reactive tendencies and the Indian urban for, follows
fiction, finance, fear and fragmentation. There is an urgent need to evolve the
integrated, inclusive and innovative concepts of the urban planning and development.
There is a need to shift the paradigm toward urban integration and evolve a new
model for the contemporary city, which is designed with nature and relates to local
culture, along with global openness.
Scope and Limitations of Research
Urban local government is a vast subject. In this study, the form of Municipal
Institution in Uttarakhand understood on the basis of a limited number of components,
which are listed below:
Constitution and administration
Power and functions
Analysis of functions
(29)
Challenges and problems
Remedies
Most municipalities in India do not have sufficient resources and technology
to collect desegregated town-level data and maintain a database. Hence, data on
various municipal aspects and performance parameters is difficult to collect. For
example, reliable data on the proportion of population served by water supply; houses
connected with underground sewer facility; proportion of solid waste collected and
disposed daily; etc, are generally not maintained. Progress report containing
information on the activities carried out by the different committees/sub-committees
constituted by a municipality is prepared from time to time for the higher levels of
government. The information contained in these reports is generally not shared with
people not affiliated to the municipality. Due to the existence of a highly bureaucratic
set up and the non-availability of published information/reports at the local-level,
collection of data for this study has proved to be a difficult task for this researcher.
Sometimes, the municipal staffs are to willing to share information due to the habit of
non-cooperation with others; at other times, they require written orders from the
senior most municipal official, which caused unnecessary delays. Although the senior
most officials in municipalities are most cooperative, the sub-ordinate staffs, in
general, follow an altogether different work style. In this situation, the researcher has
relied greatly on the feedback and cooperation received from staff with a positive
attitude.
Data Base and Research Methodology
As is the approach followed in most social science research, this study is based
on data collected from both secondary and primary sources. Publications of the
Government of India, the State Government of Uttarakhand and other publications
have been reviewed. Important among these are the: State Municipal Acts that contain
information on legal provisions for municipalities; data maintained by the
municipalities on various administrative and other matters have been collected
through field visits.
(30)
Field visits to a select number of towns/cities have been undertaken and
interviews have been held with a select number of elected representatives and
appointed officials/staff of municipalities during the period October to December
2010 and 2011. The purpose of these visits was to gain knowledge on practices
followed in the discharge of their duties as well as the problems experienced by the
municipal functionaries.
Medium-sized towns/cities, which are mainly dependent on support from
higher levels of government, have been selected. One reason for this is the
concentration of activities, which has lead to the availability of more resources, and
participation of a mix of actors from the government, community and the private
sector in the governance process. On the other hand, the condition in most medium-
sized towns is depressing and the local governments of these towns have not been
able to provide the desired level of services due to various reasons. This study is,
therefore, concerned with the problems faced by local bodies existing in such towns.
Organization of the Research
The dissertation is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter presents the
importance of municipal research outline, administration and viz. questions, scope,
limitations, and database and research methodology. An overview of the organization
of municipal institutions in Uttarakhand is described in the second Chapter. The third,
fourth and fifth chapters focus on the functioning of municipalities and attempt to
highlight the major issues of governance at the municipal/local level. In the sixth
chapter the key remedies for urban local governments in India in general and in
Uttarakhand in particular are discussed.
References
1. Findings of the Royal Commission on Decentralization, 1907 (Sachdeva,
1993: 58)
2. The year 1992 is considered as a turning point in the history of urban local
governments in India.
(31)
3. Urban Local governments are governed by Municipal Acts enacted by the
concerned State.
4. 10th Five-Year-Plan 2002-2007
5. GHK Consulting in association with IPE and ENC
6. Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital
7. The Term comprises: Dr. Jim Arthur, Team Leader; Mr. S. Bhattacharya,
Deputy Team Leader, Mr. L. Menezes, Institutional Development Expert; Mr.
Achyutaa Rao Aleti, Environmental Specialist and Mr. S.N. Jena, Social
Development Specialist
TA- IND 38272 Uttarakhand Urban Development Project Revised Draft Final
Report
Main Report Page 2
8. "..Governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which
decisions are implemented, an analysis of governance focuses on the formal
and informal actors, involved in decision-making and implementing the
decisions made and the formal and informal structures that have been set in
place to arrive at and implement the decision" (UNESCAP, 2006; 1).
9. The United Nations (UN) has played a pioneering role in defining the concept.
There appears to be a consensus on the norms/principles of good governance
put forward by the UN. According to the UN "Good governance has 8 major
characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable,
transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and
follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of
minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in
society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and
future needs of society" (UNESCAP, 2006: 2)
10. India Campaign for Good Urban governance was launched on 3 September
2001 by the Government of India and Un-Habitat (UNHABITAT, 2006:1).
(32)
CHAPTER TWO ORGANIZATION OF MUNICIPAL
INSTITUTIONS IN UTTARAKHAND
(33)
Chapter – II
Organization of Municipal Institutions
in Uttarakhand
1. Demographic Profile
According to the National Census 2001, Uttarakhand had a population of 8.48
million in 2001. The decadal (1991-2001) growth rate of population was 19.20% as
compared to 24.23% in the previous decade and the all India average of 21.34% in the
same decade. The population is growing quickly but at a slowing pace. There is wide
inter-district variation in the density of population with lower density in hill districts,
compared to districts in plain areas. Population densities vary between 37 per sq. km.
in Uttarkashi, and 612 per sq. km. in Haridwar district. There is also a wide variation
in total “urban” populations of towns, from a low of 482 in Kedarnath Nagar
Panchayat to more than 450,000 in the Dehradun Municipal area (2001 census
figures).
Of the total population in 2001, 2.29 million or 26% of the total was urban
population (including approximately 300,000 resident in cantonment areas and thus
outside the jurisdiction of urban local bodies (ULBs)). Although Uttarakhand
currently trails behind the national average (28%) in respect of the degree of
urbanization, its growth rate of urban population (33%) in the 1991-2001 decade was
more than one and half times the growth rate of total population (19.2%) in the same
decade. According to official GoI estimates, this rate has been sustained, and by the
year 2026, over 37% of Uttarakhand population will live in urban areas as compared
to the national average of 38.2% for the same year. By that year, Uttarakhand will be
one of the 7th most urbanized states in India1.
Many urban areas in the state are heavily impacted upon by the transient
population, comprising mainly pilgrims and tourists. Based on analysis of past data
(34)
and government projections the current average levels of transient population are
estimated at 16.4 million in the program towns.
In terms of gender balance, the sex ratio in the urban sector is 845 females per
1000 males, which is significantly lower than the national urban average of 901. The
overall sex ratio for the state is 962. Of the total state population, 3% are accounted
for by scheduled tribes and 18% by scheduled castes, compared to only 0.7% and
12% respectively of the state’s urban population (Census of India 2001). In the
absence of data specific to Uttaranchal, it is difficult to assess the current level of life
expectancy at birth, but based on comparable information for Uttar Pradesh, it is
expected to have increased considerably over time2. The social indicators of
Uttaranchal are generally better than its parent State of Uttar Pradesh. The literacy
rate in the State is 71.6, which is a little higher than that of the nation as a whole. The
indicators of health (year 2000) of the State were: Crude Birth Rate: 26, Crude Death
Rate: 6.5, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): 52 (c.f. 63 in India in 2003); and total Fertility
Rate 3.06 (3.1 in India in 2000-2005)3.
Increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS infections is reported in the State over the
past few years (210 HIV cases and 28 AIDS patients up to 2004). This is believed to
be a function of increased tourism, industrialization and road building activity since
the formation of the new State in 2001. According to an official survey, only 36% of
the population is aware of the AIDS virus. In 2004 the State planned to draw up and
implement an effective HIV/AIDS prevention and control drive to make Uttaranchal a
`No AIDS State' by 2007. At least ten districts are vulnerable to AIDS.
At the time of independence India was known as the country of villages as the
proportional percentage of urban and rural population was 89.2 and 10.8 was 88.3 and
11.7 in the year 1951.
At present the overview of Urban India has changed. Similarly not only the
urban population of Uttarakhand but also the number of urban centres has increased.
The growth of urban population in tables no 1.
(35)
Table- 1
Rural and Urban Population duration 1951-2011 in Uttarakhand
Rural Urban Census
Year
Total
Population Number Percentage Number Percentage
1951 2518335* 224126 88.3 294209 11.7
1961 3106356* 2731319 87.9 375037 12.1
1971 3821960* 3260654 85.3 561306 14.7
1981 5728508● 4579432 79.9 1147074 20.1
1991 7050634● 5442002 77.2 1608632 22.8
2001 8479562● 6309317 74.4 2170245 25.6
2011 10116752 7025583 69.45 3091169 30.55
* Leaf in Haridwar District
● Including Haridwar District
The above table shows that in the year 2011 the one fourth populations are
living in urban areas. But the fact remains that the urban population in hill areas is
less compare to plain areas of Uttarakhand as shown below in the table no. 2.
(36)
Table- 2
Rural and Urban Population duration in 2001 in Uttarakhand (Districtwise)
Rural Urban S.
No.
District Total
Population Number Percentage Number Percentage
1. Uttarkashi 294179 271255 92.2 22924 7.8
2. Chamoli 369198 319613 86.6 49585 13.4
3. Rudraprayag 227461 224740 98.8 2721 1.2
4. Tehri Garhwal 604608 546133 90.3 58475 9.7
5. Dehradun 1279083 601965 47.1 677118 52.9
6. Garhwal 696851 606629 87.1 90222 12.9
7. Pithoragarh 462149 406025 87.9 56124 12.1
8. Champawat 224461 191727 85.4 32734 14.6
9. Almora 630446 576497 91.4 53949 8.6
10. Bageshwar 249453 241650 96.9 7803 3.1
11. Nainital 762912 493126 64.6 269786 35.4
12. Udham Singh
Nagar
1234548 831407 67.3 403141 32.7
13. Haridwar 1444213 998550 69.1 445663 30.9
14. Uttarakhand 8479562 6309317 74.4 2170245 25.6
Sources : Census- 2001 (Final)
(37)
The urban population of Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar
compare to Hill districts of Uttarakhand is less, therefore the rural population
percentage is more.
Before the implementation of 74th Constitutional Amendment 1992 in Uttar
Pradesh, the following Adhiniyam was effective- (1) Joint Provincial Town Area
Adhiniyam, 1914, (2) U.P. Nagar Palika Adhiniyam, (3) U.P. Nagar Nigam
Adhiniyam, 1959. U.P. Government in view of 74th Constitution Amendment in 1994
according to directives implemented the amendment and brought Notified Town area
under U.P. Nagar Palika Adhiniyam and named Nagar Panchayats. Therefore in 1994
for the organization of urban institutions U.P. Nagar Palika Adhiniyam and U.P.
Nagar Adhiniyam was effective. In November 2000 after creation of Uttaarakhand the
newly formed Government encompassed both the Adhiniyam as such and process
followed thereafter. Urban Areas in Uttarakhand
The Urban Areas in Uttarakhand at present are as follows-
1. Nagar Nigam
2. Nagar Palika Parishad
3. Nagar Panchayat
4. Cantonment Areas
5. Census Towns
Municipalities- According to census 2011 in Uttarakhand Municipalities with
population of 1 lack and above is shown in table no. 3.
(38)
Table- 3
District-wise Population in Uttarakhand and Percentage (Year 2001)
Population S.
No.
Name of
Nagar Nikay
Caste of Nagar
Nikay
District
Total Male Female
1991-2001
% in
increasing
Caste –I Population 100000 Upper
1- Dehradun Nagar Nigam Dehradun 447808 236852 210956 57-94
2- Haridwar Nagar Palika
Parishad
Haridwar 175040 94650 80360 18-81
3- Haldwani-
Kathgodam
Nagar Palika
Parishad
Nainital 129140 68826 60314 23-94
4- Rurkee Nagar Palika
Parishad
Haridwar 114811 63861 50950 25-97
Municipalities according to Census 2011 having population more than 50,000 but
less than 1 lack a listed below :
Caste –II Population 50000 to 99,999
5- Kashipur Nagar
Palika
Parishad
Udham Singh
Nagar
92978 48933 44045 33-07
6- Rudrapur Nagar
Palika
Parishad
Udham Singh
Nagar
88720 47277 41443 44-78
7- Rishikesh Nagar
Palika
Parishad
Dehradun 59671 33186 26465 7-09
(39)
Municipalities having population more than 20,000 but less than 50,000 are listed
below :
Caste III Population 20,000- 49,999
8- Ramnagar Nagar Palika
Parishad
Nainital 47099 24656 2244 26-34
9- Mangalore Nagar Palika
Parishad
Haridwar 42782 22600 20182 25-24
10- Pithoragarh Nagar Palika
Parishad
Pithoragarh 41157 22054 19103 48-54
11- Nainital Nagar Palika
Parishad
Nainital 38559 20951 17608 29-23
12- Jaspur Nagar Palika
Parishad
Udham
Singh Nagar
39048 20589 18459 26-65
13- Almora Nagar Palika
Parishad
Almora 30613 16443 14170 17-74
14- Kiccha Nagar Palika
Parishad
Udham
Singh Nagar
30517 16223 14294 44-42
15- Massorie Nagar Palika
Parishad
Dehradun 26069 14721 11348 (-) 2-
44
16- Tehri Nagar Palika
Parishad
Tehri 25425 16493 8932 25-70
17- Kotdwar Nagar Palika
Parishad
Garhwal 25400 13544 11856 18-81
18- Pauri Nagar Palika
Parishad
Garhwal 24742 13235 11507 21-30
19- Sitarganj Nagar Palika
Parishad
Udham
Singh Nagar
21943 11547 10369 31-36
20- Bazpur Nagar Palika
Parishad
Udham
Singh Nagar
21782 11923 9859 29-22
(40)
Municipalities according to Census 2011 having population more than 10,000 but
less than 20,000 a listed below :
Caste- IV Population 10000 – 19,999
21- Srinagar Nagar Palika
Parishad
Garhwal 19861 11320 8541 5-69
22- Chamoli Nagar Palika
Parishad
Chamoli 19855 11126 8729 29-11
23- Laksar Nagar
Panchayat
Haridwar 18240 9850 8390 16-76
24- Uttarkashi Nagar Palika
Parishad
Uttarkashi 16220 9252 6968 16-53
25- Landaura Nagar
Panchayat
Haridwar 18240 9850 8390 31-38
26- Tanakpur Nagar Palika
Parishad
Champawat 15180 8453 7357 20-59
27- Khatima Nagar Palika
Parishad
Udham
Singh Nagar
14378 7787 6591 27-86
28- Gadarpur Nagar Palika
Parishad
Udham
Singh Nagar
13638 7305 6333 43-75
29- Joshimath Nagar Palika
Parishad
Chamoli 13202 7993 5209 14-92
30- Vikasnagar Nagar Palika
Parishad
Dehradun 12485 6571 5914 13-59
(41)
Municipalities according to Census 2011 having population more than 5,000 but
less than 10,000 a listed below :
Caste V Population 5000- 9,999
31- Jharbera Nagar
Panchayat
Haridwar 9378 5007 4371 22-86
32- Herbertpur Nagar
Panchayat
Dehradun 9242 4866 4376 7-83
33- Mahuakheraganj Nagar
Panchayat
Udham
Singh Nagar
8859 4699 4160 33-94
34- Dineshpur Nagar
Panchayat
Udham
Singh Nagar
8856 4597 4259 45-20
35- Doiwala Nagar
Panchayat
Dehradun 8047 4339 3708 7-64
36- Munikireti Nagar
Panchayat
Tehri 7879 4983 2896 74-35
37- Bageshwar Nagar
Palika
Parishad
Bageshwar 7803 4306 3497 35-19
38- Kelakhera Nagar
Panchayat
Udham
Singh Nagar
7783 4118 3665 54-89
39- Sultanpurpatti Nagar
Panchayat
Udham
Singh Nagar
7713 4109 3604 31-49
40- Gochar Nagar
Panchayat
Chamoli 7278 4196 3082 64-59
(42)
41- Karnaprayag Nagar
Panchayat
Chamoli 6976 3910 3066 34-96
42- Chamba Nagar
Panchayat
Tehri 6579 3908 2671 -
43- Lalkuwan Nagar
Panchayat
Nainital 6524 3567 2957 22.86
44- Dharchula Nagar
Panchayat
Pithoragarh 6424 3490 2934 43.55
45- Kaladhungi Nagar
Panchayat
Nainita 6126 3218 2908 31.37
46- Mahuadabra
Haripur
Nagar
Panchayat
Udham
Singh Nagar
6110 3207 2903 13.84
47- Barkot Nagar
Panchayat
Uttarkashi 6098 3438 2660 89.73
48- Bhimtal Nagar
Panchayat
Nainital 5875 3178 2697 39.05
49- Lohaghat Nagar
Panchayat
Champawat 5828 3242 2586 49.78
50- Bhowali Nagar
Palika
Parishad
Nainital 5302 2846 2456 21.49
(43)
Municipalities according to Census 2011 having population not more than 5,000
are listed below :
Caste VI Population 5000 or less
51- Didihat Nagar
Panchayat
Pithoragarh 4805 2634 2171 36-74
52- Narendra
Nagar
Nagar Palika
Parishad
Tehri 4796 2844 1952 (-)2.68
53- Shaktigarh Nagar
Panchayat
Udham Singh
Nagar
4776 2489 2287 24.21
54- Champawat Nagar
Panchayat
Champawat 3958 2273 1685 56.75
55- Dugara Nagar Palika
Parishad
Garhwal 2690 1455 1235 10.07
56- Dwarahat Nagar
Panchayat
Almora 2543 347 1196 (-)9.50
57- Rudraprayag Nagar
Panchayat
Rudrapur 2242 1418 824 45.40
58- Dev Prayag Nagar
Panchayat
Tehri 2144 1109 1035 13.55
59- Nand Prayag Nagar
Panchayat
Chamoli 1433 804 629 (-)1.70
60- Kirtinagar Nagar
Panchayat
Tehri 1040 597 443 (-)0.92
61- Badrinath Nagar
Panchayat
Chamoli 841 543 298 (-)14.01
62- Gangotri Nagar
Panchayat
Uttarkashi 606 581 25 373.44
63- Kedarnath Nagar
Panchayat
Rudraprayag 479 468 11 59.14
Source : Census- 2001 (Final)
(44)
The above table and boxes shows that in Uttarakhand the organization of
ULBs are not based on population. There are almost fifty percent of ULBs were
organized in the British period before independence of India. The organization of
Uttarakhand Urban Local Bodies, their year of formation, present area and population
are as follows-
Table –4
Uttarakhand Local Bodies
Number of
wards
S.
No.
1
Nagar
Nikay
2
District
Head-
quarter
3
Year of
Formation
4
Area
2001
5
Popul -
ation
6
Population
Density
per Km.
7
March
-02 till
New
Nagar
Nigam
1- Dehradun Dehradun 1828/1829
Not clear
52-00 447808 8612 60 45
Nagar Palika Parishad
1. Pithoragarh Pithoragarh 1950 9-00 41157 4573 25 11
2. N.P.P.
Bageshwar
Bageshwar 24-11-1950 1-29 7803 6049 25 7
3. N.P.P. Tanakpur Champawat 27-3-1954 1-0 15810 15810 25 9
4. N.P.P Almora Almora 1864 7-35 32357 4402 25 11
5. N.P.P. Nainital Nainital 1873 11-73 39840 3396 25 11
6. N.P.P. Bhowali Do 1916 21-16 5302 250 25 4
7. N.P.P. Ramnagar Do 01-04-1907 2-42 47099 19145 25 13
8. N.P.P Haldwani Do 02-02-1987 10-62 129140 12160 25 25
9. N.P.P Kiccha Udham
Singh Nagar
25-10-1971 4-02 30517 7591 25 11
10. N.P.P Rudrapu Do 1958-59 12-43 88720 7138 25 20
(45)
11. N.P.P. Kashipur Do 05-03-1872 5-46 92978 17028 25 20
12. N.P.P. Sitarganj Do 14-10-1971 2-00 21943 10971 25 9
13. N.P.P. Bazpur Do 25-10-1971 2-46 21782 8854 25 9
14. N.P.P. Gadarpur Do 10-02-1971 3-40 13638 4011 25 7
15. N.P.P. Jaspur Do 18-11-1859 4-00 39840 9960 25 13
16. N.P.P. Khatima Do 19-08-1961 3-02 14378 4761 25 9
17. N.P.P. Haridwar Haridwar 25-03-1868 12-4 175010 14114 25 25
18. N.P.P. Mangalore Do 1860 1-32 42782 32410 25 13
19. N.P.P. Rurkee Do 1879 8-11 97064 11968 25 20
20. N.P.P. Rishikesh Dehradun 25-07-1949 10-00 59671 5967 25 15
21. N.P.P. Masorie Do 1873 64-75 26069 403 25 11
22. N.P.P Vikas
Nagar
Do 1951 3-11 12485 4014 25 9
23. N.P.P. Tehri Tehri 1949 11-0 25425 1311 25 7
24. N.P.P. Narendra
Nagar
Do 27-11-1922 10-36 4796 463 25 4
25. N.P.P. Uttarkashi Uttarkashi 1919 12-02 16220 1349 25 9
26. N.P.P.
Gopeshwar
Chamoli 01-08-1968 14-18 19855 1400 25 9
27. N.P.P. Joshimath Do 13-11-1962 11-49 13202 1106 25 9
28. N.P.P. Sirnagar Garhwal 1886 9-00 19861 2206 25 9
29. N.P.P. Pauri Do 23-03-1949 42-00 24742 589 25 11
30. N.P.P. Dugadda Do 15-08-1944 1-05 2690 2562 25 4
31. N.P.P. Kotdwar Do 01-04-1949 2-59 25400 9807 25 11
(46)
Nagar Panchayat
1. Nagar Panchayat Dharchula
Pithoragah 14-10-1971 3-00 6424 2141 10 4
2. Nagar Panchayat Didihat
Do July 1976 4-00 4805 1201 10 4
3. Nagar Panchayat Champawat
Champawat 15-2-1972 5-00 3958 791 10 4
4. Nagar Panchayat Lohaghat
Do 1959 4-50 5828 1295 10 4
5. Nagar Panchayat Dwarahat
Almora 9-10-1978 2-88 2543 883 10 4
6. Nagar Panchayat Bhimtal
Nainital 1871 4-00 5875 1468 10 4
7. Nagar Panchayat Kaladhungi
Do 26-8-1974 4-00 6126 1531 10 4
8. Nagar Panchayat Lalkuwan
Do 30-12-1978 4-25 6524 1535 10 7
9. Nagar Panchayat Kelakhera
Udham Singh Nagar
26-2-1985 4-00 7783 1946 10 7
10. Nagar Panchayat Dineshpur
Udham Singh Nagar
10-9-1984 4-50 8856 1968 10 7
11. Nagar Panchayat Mahuakheraganj
Do 28-9-1985 5-00 8859 1771 10 7
12. Nagar Panchayat Sultanpur
Do 14-03-1914 4-40 7713 1752 10 7
13. Nagar Panchayat Shaktigarh
Do 27-4-1985 2-00 4776 2388 10 4
14. Nagar Panchayat Mahuadabra Haripur
Do 28-2-1985 2-00 6110 3055 10 7
15. Nagar Panchayat Laksar
Haridwar 16-3-1989 5-00 18240 3648 10 9
16. Nagar Panchayat Jharbera
Do 25-3-1860 2-05 9378 4574 10 7
(47)
17. Nagar Panchayat Landaura
Do 19-6-1973 3-00 16022 5340 10 9
18. Nagar Panchayat Herbertpur
Dehradun 29-8-1984 8-00 9242 1155 10 7
19. Nagar Panchayat Doiwala
Do 04-2-1984 1-90 8047 4235 10 7
20. Nagar Panchayat Munikireti
Tehri 1950 2-5 7879 3136 10 4
21. Nagar Panchayat Kirtinagar
Do 1950 2-50 1040 4160 10 4
22. Nagar Panchayat Dev Prayag
Do 15-11-1950 4-00 2144 536 10 4
23. Nagar Panchayat Chamba
Do 7-8-1992 4-00 6579 1644 10 7
24. Nagar Panchayat Badkot
Uttarkashi March 1972 7-00 6098 871 10 4
25. Nagar Panchayat Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag 8-11-1968 1-00 2242 2242 10 7
26. Nagar Panchayat Gochar
Chamoli 12-9-1974 1395-90 Acre
7278 & 10 4
27. Nagar Panchayat Nandprayag
Do 6-5-1977 2-16 1433 663 10 4
28. Nagar Panchayat Karna Prayag
Do 10-10-1975 18-0 6976 387 10 7
29. Nagar Panchayat Kedarnath
Do 7-10-1977 35 Acre
479 14-1 - -
30. Nagar Panchayat Badrinath
Chamoli 6-6-1977 2-01 841 418 - -
31. Nagar Panchayat Gangotri
Uttarkashi 6-6-1986 1-00 606 606 - -
Cantonment Parishad Area- "To provide civic amenities to the population residing
in cantonment area is the responsibility of Cantonment parishad. The following table
shows the Cantonment area of Uttarakhand.
(48)
Table- 5
Cantonment Area in Uttarakhand
Area Population S.No. Name of
Cantonment Area
District
Sq. km. Year 2001 Year
1991
1. Clamentown Dehradun 0.70 19634 18237
2. Dehradun Cantt. Dehradun 7.03 30102 43031
3. Chakrata Dehradun 0.05 3497 6470
4. Landhour (Masurie) Dehradun 2.90 3250 2907
5. Roorkee Haridwar 9.30 17747 10877
6. Ranikhet Almora 21.75 19049 18874
7. Lansdown Garhwal 6.09 7902 7106
8. Nainital Nainital 3.38 1281 1114
9. Almora Almora 0.67 1744 2050
Source: Census- 2001 and Statistical Patrika, Uttarakhand Earth and Sankhya Vibhag
Industrial Town- In Uttarakhand there are.....industrial town as shown in table- 7
Table-6
Industrial Town in Uttarakhand
Area Population S.No. Name of
Industrial Town
District
Sq. km. 2001 1991
1. BHEL Haridwar 26.94 43252 38381
2. IDPL Dehradun 2.02 13271 15982
Source: Jangarna- 2001 and Statistical Patrika, Uttarakhand Earth and Sankhya
Vibhag
(49)
Table-7
Census Town in Uttarakhand- 2001
S.No. Name of Census Town District Population-2001
1. Pratit Nagar (Raiwala) Dehradun 7078
2. Raipur Dehradun 24887
3. Van Anusandhan Sansthan and
College
Dehradun 5428
4. Dhalwala Tehri 11206
5. Dandera Haridwar 15297
6. Mohanpur-Mohammadpur Haridwar 8700
7. Kashirampur (Kotdwar) Garhwal 9033
8. Nagla Udham Singh
Nagar
22944
9. Bandia Udham Singh
Nagar
8897
10. Kachnal Gosain Udham Singh
Nagar
4199
11. Vanbasa Champawat 7138
12. Dharchula Dehat Pithoragarh 3738
Total Uttarakhand 128545
Source: Census- 2001 (Final)
The population of Census Town is included in the Urban population. In 2001
the 12 census town population was 128545 which was against the 2170245 urban
population of Uttarakhand. The percentage ratio was 5.9 of urban population. In fact
census towns are rural areas and they cannot get the civic amenities of urban areas
until and unless they are announced under the Nagar Palika Adhiniyam Act-3 by
government of state.
(50)
Table-8
Reservation of classes in Uttarakhand Nagar Nikay Nirwachan 2002
S.No
.
Name of Nagar
Nikay
No. of Old
Classes No. of
class
SC
Female
SC
Caste
ST
Female
ST OBC
Female
OBC Female Un-reserved
1. NPP Masurie
(Dehradun)
25 11 1 1 - - - - 3 6
2. NPP Vikasnagar
(Dehradun)
25 9 1 - - - 1 - 1 6
3. NPP Rishikesh
(Dehradun)
25 15 1 - - - 1 1 3 9
4. NP Herbertpur
(Dehradun)
10 7 1 - - - 1 - 1 4
5. NP Doiwala
(Dehradun)
10 7 1 2 - - 1 - 1 4
6. NPP Herbertpur
(Dehradun)
25 25 1 1 - - 1 2 7 12
(51)
7. NPP Haridwar
(Haridwar)
25 20 1 - - - 1 1 5 11
8. NPP Mangalore
(Haridwar)
25 13 - - - - 1 - 4 8
9. N.P. Jhabrera
(Haridwar
10 7 1 - - - 1 - 1 4
10. NP Laksar
(Haridwar
10 9 1 1 - - 1 - 1 5
11. NP Landhoura
(Haridwar
10 9 1 - - - 1 - 1 6
12. NPP Uttarkashi 25 9 1 - - - - - 2 6
13. NP Badkot
(Uttarkashi
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
14. NPP Chamoli-
Gopeshwar
25 9 1 - 1 - - - 1 6
15. NPP Joshimath
(Chamoli)
25 9 1 - 1 - - - 1 6
(52)
16. NP Nand Prayag
(Chamoli)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
17. NP Karna Prayag
(Chamoli)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
18. NP Gochar
(Chamoli)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
19. NPP Tehri 25 11 1 - - - - - 3 7
20. NP Narendranagar
(Tehri)
25 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
21. Nagar Panchayat
Chamba (Tehri)
10 7 - - - - - - 3 4
22. NP Dev Prayag
(Tehri)
10 4 - - - - - - 2 2
23. NP Kirti Nagar
(Tehri)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
24. NP Munikireti
(Tehri)
10 4 - - - - - - 2 2
(53)
25. NP Rudraprayag 10 7 1 - - - - - 2 4
26. NPP Pauri
(Garhwal)
25 11 1 - - - - - 3 7
27. NPP Srinagar
(Garhwal)
25 9 1 - - - - - 2 6
28. NPP Dugadda
(Garhwal)
25 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
29. NPP Kotdwar
(Garhwal)
25 11 1 - - - - - 2 7
30. NPP Kashipur
(Pithoragarh)
25 11 1 - - - - - 3 7
31. NP Dharchula
(Pithoragarh)
10 4 1 - 1 1 - - - 1
32. NP Didihat
(Pirhoragarh)
10 4 1 - 1 - - - - 2
33. NPP Tanakpur
(Champawat)
25 9 1 - - - 1 - 1 6
(54)
34. NP (Champawat) 10 4 1 - - - 1 - - 2
35. NP Lohaghat
(Champawat)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
36. NP Almora 25 11 1 1 - - 1 - 2 6
37. NPP Dwarahat
(Almora)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
38. NP Bageshwar 25 7 1 1 - - - - 2 3
39. NPP Nainital 25 11 1 1 -
40. NPP Haldwani
Kathgodam
25 25 1 1 - - 1 2 7 13
41. NPP Ramnagar
Nainital
25 13 1 - - - 1 1 3 7
42. NP Lalkuwan
(Nainital)
10 7 1 - - - 1 - 1 4
43. NP Kaladhungi
(Nainital)
10 4 - - - - 1 - 1 2
(55)
44. NPP Bhowali
(Nainital)
25 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
45. NP Bhimtal
(Nainital)
10 4 1 - - - - - 1 2
46. NPP Rudrapur
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
25 20 1 2 - - 1 1 5 10
47. NPP Kashipur
(Udham Singh
Nagar
25 20 1 - - - 1 1 5 12
48. NPP Jaspur
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
25 13 1 - - - 1 - 3 8
49. NPP Bazpur
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
25 9 1 - - - 1 - 1 6
50. NPP Kiccha 25 11 1 1 - - 1 - 2 6
(56)
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
51. NPP Gadarpur
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
25 7 1 - - - 1 - 1 4
52. NPP Khatima
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
25 9 1 - - - 1 - 1 6
53. NPP Sitarganj
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
25 9 1 - - - 1 - 1 6
54. NP
Mahuakheraganj
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
10 7 1 1 - - 1 - 1 3
55. NP Mahuadabra
Haripura (Udham
Singh Nagar)
10 7 1 - - - 1 - 1 4
(57)
56. NP Sultanpurpatti
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
10 7 1 - - - 1 - 1 4
57. NP Kelakhera
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
10 7 - - - - 1 - 2 4
58. NP Shaktigarh
(Udham Singh
Nagar)
10 4 - - - - - - 2 2
59. NP Dineshpur
Udham Singh
Nagar)
10 7 - - - - - - 3 4
60. Nagar Nigam
Dehradun
60 45 2 2 - - 3 2 11 25
Total
1115 559 53 15 4 1 33 11 125 316
(58)
Table-9
Districtwise Nagar Panchayat and Case of Reservation
S.No. Name of District Name of Nagar Panchayat
Caste of Reservation
1. Uttarkashi Barkot Female 2. Chamoli Gochar
Nand Prayag SC Female SC Unreserved
3. Rudraprayag Rudraprayag Unreserved 4. Tehri Krtinagar
Dev Prayag Chamba Munikireti
Female Female Unreserved Unreserved
5. Dehradun Herbertpur Doiwala
Unreserved Unreserved
6. Haridwar Landhour Jharbera Laksar
OBC Female OBC Unreserved
7. Udham Singh Nagar Mahuakheraganj Mahuadabra Haripura Sultanpur Patti Kelakhera Dineshpur Shaktigarh
SC OBC Female OBC Unreserved Unreserved Unreserved
8. Nainital Bhimtal Kaladhungi Lalkuwan
SC Female SC Unreserved Unreserved
9. Almora Dwarahat Female 10. Champawat Champawat
Lohaghat Female Female
11. Pithoragarh Didihat Dharchula
Female SC Female
Source: The above table shows that in Uttarakhand the urban population in much
lesser in comparision in rural population. The urban population of Dehradun and other
(59)
major cities are increasing very rapidly. Representation all section of society is
provided in these urban local bodies on the location basis in ward level and in
chairperson level. The above table also shows that in Uttarakhand a large no. of urban
local bodies are having population less than 20,0000.
References
1. Census of India, Registrar General of India as reported in Hindustan Times
09/08/06
TA – IND 38272 Uttaranchal Urban Development Project Revised Draft Final
Report
Main Report Page 3
2. Health and Population Policy of Uttarakhand, December 2002
3. Source: The Director General, Medical and Health Services, Uttarakhand
4. Press release India Today Conclave March 2006
5. Rethinking India’s future; Prosperity of the periphery, International Centre for
Peace Initiatives, Strategic Foresight Group (Bombay, India), 2002.
6. Ibid
7. The six tows are : Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Rudrapur, Srinagar and
Rudraprayag
8. Report on Slums of Uttarakhand, Govt. of Uttarakhand, 2002, covering 7
slums in Dehradun and Haridwar.
TA – IND 38272 Uttarakhandl Urban Development Project Revised Draft
Final Report
9. It is worthy of note that there are over 5 times as many registered two-
wheelers (motorcycles and scooters)
as four-wheelers on the state’s roads. Two-wheeler growth continues at over
10 percent per annum while that of private cars is higher at over 12%.
TA – IND 38272 Uttarakhand Urban Development Project Revised Draft
Final Report
(60)
CHAPTER THREE POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF
MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS CORPORATION, NAGAR PALIKA
PARISHAD AND NAGAR PALIKA IN UTTARAKHAND
(61)
Chapter- III
Powers and Functions of Municipal Institutions Corporation, Nagar Palika
Parishad and Nagar Palika in Uttarakhand There have been significant changes in the composition of municipalities since
their constitution. In the ancient period, municipal administration was in the hands of
the ruling class or the ruling government and their subordinate offices and
departments. Urban citizens were not happy with the prevailing 'centralized approach',
which was characterized by excessive bureaucracy. It was gradually realized that
because local governments were formed for the welfare of the urban citizens, it was
necessary to involve them. This thinking paved the way for citizen's participation in
municipal affairs. A select number of urban citizens are now chosen by holding
elections to municipalities. For this purpose the municipal area is divided into several
wards delineated on the basis of population.1 There is a contest for the seat/post of
councilors in municipalities among the eligible voters at the ward level. One person
from each ward is elected to the post of councilor. Elections are also held for the post
of a mayor in municipal corporations and a chairperson (also known as a
president/chairman) in municipal councils and nagar panchayats. The State
government departments are responsible for the organization of municipal elections2
Besides the State government appointed staff and persons nominated by the State
government, citizen's representatives have become a part of the local government.
Whereas the appointed staffs are trained to handle their duties, citizens'
representatives are more aware of the quality of life at the ward level. The effort of
the government has been on maintaining a balance in the distribution of power
between the officials and the non-officials and on establishing a democratic form of
local government. To enable wider participation in municipal affairs, seats in local
governments are reserved for some sections of the society (Box 2.3).3 In addition to
the appointed, nominated and the elected functionaries, ex-officio persons are also
affiliated to the local government. A typical composition of an urban local
government is shown in Table-14
(62)
Table - 1
Composition of Urban Local Governments
Type of Municipality Category
Municipal Corporation Municipal Council/ Nagar
Panchayat
Elected Members Mayor; Deputy Mayor
Councillors/Elected
Ward Representatives
Chairperson/President; Vice-
President
Councillors/ Elected Ward
Representatives
Ex-Officio
Members
MPs
MLAs
MLCs
MPs
MLAs
MLCs
Appointed Staff Municipal
Commissioner
Subordinate Staff
Executive Officer
Subordinate Staff
Nominated
Members
Selected Citizens Selected Citizens
Source: State Municipal Acts
Notes: (i) Elected Members: There is one seat of Mayor/President, Deputy
Mayor/Vice-President in a municipality; there are as many councilors
as the number of wards in a municipality.
(ii) Ex-officio Members: MP- Member of Parliament; MLA- Member of
legislative Assembly; MLC- Member of Legislative Council
(iii) Appointed Staff: There is one position of Municipal
Commissioner/Executive Officer in a municipality; the various sub-
committees of a municipality are run by the subordinate staff in
association with the elected members and the Municipal
Commissioner/Executive Officer. Such staffs do not have the right to
vote is the meetings of the municipality.
(iv) Nominated Members: A certain number of persons having special
knowledge or experience in municipal administration are nominated by
(63)
the State government. Such members do not have the right to vote in
the meetings of the municipality.
Table-2
Reservation of Seats in Municipalities (Article 243- T)
(1) Seats shall be reserved for the SCs and STs in every Municipality and the
number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same
proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in
that Municipality as the population of the SCs in the Municipal area or of
the STs in the Municipal area bears to the total population of that area
and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a
Municipality.
(2) Not less than one third of the total number of seats reserved under clause
(1) shall be reserved for women belonging to the SCs or as the case
may be, the STs.
(3) Not less than one third (including the number of seats reserved for
women belonging to the SCs and the STs) of the total number of seats to
be filled by direct election in every Municipality shall be reserved for
women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a Municipality.
(4) The offices of Chairpersons in the Municipalities shall be reserved for the
SCs, the STs and women in such manner as the Legislature of a State
may, by law, provide.
(5) The reservation of seats under clauses (1) and (2) and the reservation of
offices of Chairpersons (other than the reservation for women) under
clause(4) shall cause to have effect on the expiration of the period
specified in Article 334.
(6) Nothing in this Part shall prevent the Legislature of a State from making
any provision for reservation of seats in any Municipality or offices of
Chairpersons in the Municipalities in favour of backward class of
citizens.
Source: Constitutional Provisions Relating to Village Panchayats and
Municipalities in India (1999: 12).
(64)
Municipal Management Practices
Municipalities follow various practices to discharge their duties. This sub-
section includes three important management practices which describe the manner in
which municipalities function.
Municipal Meetings and Proceedings
Decisions on various municipal matters, such as superintendence of municipal
administration, planning for infrastructure facilities, approval of municipal budget,
etc., are taken in the meetings of the local government. Meetings are held periodically
during which resolutions5 are passed on the basis of voting.
Participation in municipal meetings is not restricted to any category of person
and may include the elected, nominated and ex-officio members, and other appointed
authorities/officers associated with the local government. Besides, every meeting is
open to the public. However, decisions to accept or reject resolutions are taken only
by the elected members (councilors, mayor/president6) who posses powers for voting.
For this reason, the elected members, who are representatives of the citizens in the
local government, are important actors involved in the decision-making process.
Furthermore, accepted resolutions are implemented only under the supervision of the
State- appointed municipal commissioner/ executive officer, who posses executive
powers. The role of other participants is to provide assistance on various technical,
financial and legal matters (Table-3)
(65)
Table- 3
Role of Select Municipal Members and Authorities
S.No. Members/Authorities Role
1. Mayor/President General supervision over all officers
and work of local government
Presiding officer at municipal
meetings
Empowered to vote for resolutions
only in the event of equality of votes
2. Councilor Empowered to vote for resolutions
3. Ex-officio Member Spend funds received from
government on development works
within constituencies
4. Nominated Member Ensuring better municipal
administration
5. Municipal Commissioner/
Executive Officer
Exercise of executive powers
Source: State Municipal Acts
Some important aspects related to the conduct of municipal meetings that are
common to most municipalities in India are illustrated in Table-3. In municipal
corporations, there are two important decision-making bodies, namely the corporation
and the executive committee. Whereas the municipal administration of a city is vested
in the corporation, it may delegate any of its functions to the executive committee or
any other committee of the corporation. The corporation, comprising the mayor and
all councilors (i.e., elected ward representatives), nominated members and ex-officio
members, is required to meet at least six times during a year for the transaction of
business, i.e., for taking decisions on municipal matters7 The quorum for transaction
of such business, i.e., for taking decisions on municipal matters. The quorum for
transaction of such business is at least one-half of the councilors. The executive
(66)
committee, on the other hand, consists of the Mayor, who is the ex-officio chairperson
of the executive committee, and a select number of councilors, who are elected from
within the corporation at its first meetings after general elections. The executive
committee is required to meet once in a month and at least one-fifth of the total
number of councilors must be present throughout the meeting.
In municipal councils and nagar panchayats, meetings should be held at least
once in a month for the transaction of business, in which not less that one-third of the
total number of councilors should be present.
Table-4
Meetings of Urban Local Governance
Type of Municipality Description
of Item Municipal Corporation Municipal
Council
Nagar
Panchayat
Decision-
making body
Corporation
(elected,
nominated, ex-
officio members)
Executive
Committee
(select
number of
elected
members)
Council
(elected,
nominated,
ex-officio
members)
* Panchayat
(elected,
nominated,
ex-officio
members)
Presiding
officer
Mayor Chairperson/President
Frequency of
meeting
Six times a year Once a month Once a month
Quorum One-half of total
members
one-fifth of
total members
One-third of total members
Basic for
accepting/
rejecting
resolutions
Voting by elected members
(Councilors, Mayor)
Voting by elected members
(Councilors, Chairperson)
Source: State Municipal Acts.
(67)
Details such as the names of members present in a meeting, and the
proceedings held and resolutions passed at a meeting are recorded in the 'minute book'
on completion of a meeting. The minutes are read out at the meeting or at the next
ensuing meeting and certified as passed by the signature of the presiding officer (i.e.,
Mayor in case of municipal corporations and chairperson in case of municipal
councils/nagar panchayats), unless objected to by a majority of the members present.
Every resolution passed by the urban local government as meeting is to be published
in the local language in a newspaper approved by the State government for purposes
of publication of public notices. In case such paper is not published in the
direct/division in which the urban local government concerned is situated, this
information is to be displayed on the notice board of the municipal office and the
District Collector's Office for three consecutive days. Copies of every resolution
passed by the urban local government at a meeting are to be forwarded to the
prescribed authority and the District Magistrate within a specified number of days
from the date of the meeting. If a need is felt by the decision-making group to alter the
wordings of minutes at a later stage, such alteration is to be notified by publication or
communicated to the prescribed authority and the District Magistrate. A resolution of
the urban local government cannot be modified or cancelled within six months after it
is passed unless previous notice is given and except by a resolution supported by a
select umber of members of the urban local government.
There are several stages in the planning and implementation of infrastructure
projects, namely; decision-making; planning and design/formulation; financing;
execution/ implementation; and monitoring and supervision. The following sub-
sections provide details on each of these stages (see also Figure-5)
(68)
Table- 5
Stages in Project Planning and Implementation
Decision-Making
Identification of projects in municipal meetings
Voting on resolution by elected members
Preparation of report by presiding officer on decisions taken
Dispatch of application to higher authorities for administrative approval and
technical sanction
Planning and Design/Formulation
Conduct of preliminary and detailed surveys
Preparation of plans, specifications and estimates
Financing
Identification of funding source (local, state, centre, external assistance)
Transfer of funds/loans
Execution/Implementation
Publication of advertisement in newspapers for inviting tenders from private
contractors
Sharing of information (i.e. project details, tenders, etc.) with all members and
authorities
Selection of contractors and signing of project contact
Commencement of construction activity at site
Monitoring and Supervision
Maintenance of record on physical and financial progress of projects
(69)
Decision-making
Infrastructure projects to be implemented at the local level are identified by
the decision-making group during municipal meetings. As mentioned earlier, the
group comprises persons with diverse backgrounds, such as the elected, nominated
and ex-officio members and the appointed authorities. The matter is discussed in the
meeting and a resolution is passed on the basis of majority of votes cast by the elected
members present at the meeting of the urban local government.
Municipalities can take a decision to undertake projects on their own
involving expenditure up to a certain limit, and if their own resources permit them to
do so. When expenditure for a proposed project exceeds the defined limit, or when the
municipality does not posses adequate funds administrative approval of competent
authority at the State level is obtained.
An application, along with information on the decision taken by the local
government with respect to implementation of identified infrastructure projects, and
rough estimates and plans of the proposed work, is prepared under the supervision of
the presiding officer and sent to the prescribed authority at the state/division/district
level for their administrative approval/ratification and technical sanction.
Planning and Design/Formulation
Work on planning and design of new infrastructure projects begins upon an
approval of the project proposal by the higher authorities at the state/district level.
This task is entrusted to the municipal engineer, who conducts the surveys, prepares
the plans, specifications and estimates, and executes the work.
Findings
Funds for meeting the cost of new infrastructure projects identified by
municipal governments are arranged from various sources. In recent years, there is an
emphasis on strengthening the municipal financial practices, so that the costs required
for project implementation are met from their internal (or own) sources, viz., taxes,
and non-taxes. However, due to the persistent weak financial condition of municipal
(70)
governments, there exists a practice of funds being transferred from a number of
external sources.
Execution/Implementation
With the arrangement of finance for the purpose of undertaking project-related
physical capital works, urban local governments take necessary steps towards the
execution of the project. They may use their own manpower resources for this
purpose. However, the most common practice is to enter into contracts with private
contractors. In the selection of contractors, an advertisement, with details on the
nature of work to be undertaken by the contractor, is published by the urban local
government in popular newspapers available in the town/district, for inviting tenders8
from private contractors. Subsequently a project contract for the commencement of
construction activity at the identified site.
Monitoring and Supervision
The systematic monitoring and supervision of every infrastructure project to
be implemented at the local level is an important exercise, which provides clear
information on the stage through which a project is passing. Several infrastructure
projects are identified by municipal governments and other State/local-level agencies
every year for implementation, and coordination among the agencies in the integrated
development of civic infrastructure is essential. Some State governments have
constituted a task force at the State-level to oversee, coordinate and monitor the
progress of project implementation. Under this arrangement, the physical and
financial progress of all infrastructure projects identified at the beginning of each
financial year by urban local governments and other agencies is carefully monitored.
An example of the format used by some local governments to maintain this
information is illustrated in Table-6
(71)
Table-6
Monitoring of Urban Infrastructure Projects
Physical Status Funding Status Implementation Status
Estimates prepared Yes Name of
implementing
agency
Municipal
Corporation
Place- X
Tied-up &
available
Yes
Estimates sanctioned Yes
Tenders invited Yes Project
Description
Construction
of Tube well
at Place Xx
Tied-up but
not yet
available
Contract signed Yes
Work started at site Yes Category Water
Supply
Not tied-up
Physical work> 50% -
Sent for
funding
Physical work> 50% Yes
Foundation stage Yes
Site inspection Yes
Estimated
Cost (in
million
rupees)
2.50
Source of
funding
Govt. of
India
Inaugurate
Source: Field Survey
Committee System in Municipalities
A municipality is the apex body, which is empowered to constitute various
sub-comittees.9 For this purpose, the sanction of the State government is required. A
municipality may delegate all or any of its powers and functions to a sub-committee.
Sub-committees are, therefore, constituted for assistance in administrative matters.
This helps in the distribution as well as in the speedy implementation of works. Each
sub-committee consists of about four or five members who are elected annually from
amongst the councilors. In municipal councils, the president or the vice-president or
an elected member of the municipality is the chairperson of the sub-committee. Sub-
committees function in almost the same manner as the municipality, i.e. meetings are
(72)
held regularly; decisions on work are taken by casting vote; proceedings are recorded
in the minute book; etc. A decision on any work to be implemented is, however, taken
during the meeting of the municipality and is based on the proceedings of the sub-
committees.
Municipal Finance Practices
Municipalities require a substantial amount of money to execute their
functions. They derive this money from various internal and external sources (Table-
7 Internal sources comprise income generated from various taxes and non-taxes levied
by the municipality. External sources include funds obtained (in the form of grants,
loans, etc.) from the Central government, State government, domestic institutions,
financial intermediaries, capital markets, and bilateral and multi-lateral donor
agencies. Most municipalities in India are unable to generate adequate funds from
their internal sources. This is mainly due to the following reasons: (a) low level of
services provided to citizens; (b) deficiencies in calculating the tax non-tax rates; (c)
reluctance in imposing or increasing direct taxes; and (d) inadequate attention to
citizens' grievances. This leads to a low recovery from internal sources. Municipalities
are, therefore, heavily dependent on external sources. The budget statements of
several municipalities show that they obtain as much as 80 per cent of their income
from external sources. It may be mentioned here that in recent times and due to a
global trend towards decentralization, attempts have been made to identify new
avenues for mobilizing resources for municipalities, such as capital markets, financial
intermediaries, etc. Furthermore, a number of innovative practices are visible at the
local level, which aims at the local level, which aim at raising the financial resources
of local government.10 This phenomenon is generally observed in the case of larger
urban centres governed by municipal corporations. Other municipalities continue to
depend on traditional sources, namely the Central and State government grants and
loans.
(73)
Table-7
Sources of Funds for Municipalities
Internal
Sources
Description External Description
1. Taxes Property tax,
advertisement tax,
vehicle tax, etc.
1. Central
government11
Budgetary allocations, central
finance commission, etc.
2. State
Government12
Budgetary allocations state finance
commission, shred taxes with local
government- entertainment tax,
motor vehicle tax, etc.
3. Domestic
institutions1
3
HUDCO, LIC, ILFS, IDFC, etc.
4. Financial
intermediari
es14
TNUDF, KUIDC, GMFB, ETC.
5. Capital
markets15
Municipal bonds, etc.
2. Non-
taxes
User charges;
Licence and other
fees; Cess; duties;
Tolls;
Rent from
properties;
Receipts from
markets, slaughter
houses, fairs and
renting of road
sides, etc
6. Bilateral
and
multilateral
door
agencies16
World Bank, United Nations,
WHO, USAID, DFID, ADB,
JBIC, AUSAID, etc.
Source: Literature review
This discussion and analysis has shown that the form of urban local
governments in India has changed over time. An appraisal of the evolution process of
municipalities in India reveals that this change is due to a series of reforms initiated
from time to time. In the ancient period, municipal administration was in the hands of
the ruling class or the ruling government and their subordinate offices and
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departments. Subsequently, steps have been taken to make municipalities more and
more autonomous, participatory, representative, transparent, accountable and
dynamic.
The Constitution (seventy-fourth amendments) Act enacted by the government
of India during the year 1992 is a landmark initiative in this direction. It is for the first
time that a number of provisions to strengthen municipalities have been inserted in the
Indian Constitution. Before the enactment of the Act, local government was a State
subject and its administration was entirely left in the control of the State legislature.
Although, municipalities continue to be governed by the respective State legislatures,
it has been made mandatory for the State governments to revise their municipal laws
in accordance with the recent Constitutional provisions. It is understood that
municipalities in India are being slowly empowered in various ways with the
objective that they would emerge as viable units of governance at the local level and
would be able to discharge their duties and powers in an efficient manner.
In addition to the aforesaid legislative reforms, the Indian government has
taken a number of steps for improving local-level governance in recent times. Various
urban development programmes, schemes and practices have been initiated for the
benefit of urban citizens and the local government. Important among these are the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)17, The Urban
Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDNURM)18 the
Model Municipal Law (MML)19, the e-Governance Mission20 , Report Cards on
Urban Services21, Citizens' Charter on Municipal Services22, the Mayor-in-Council
form of government23, Municipal Accounting Reforms24, Property Tax Reforms,
issuance of tax-free Municipal Boards, and schemes such as Pooled Finance
Development (PFDS)25 and City Challenge Fund (CCF)26, promotion of private sector
participation27 and community participation28.
An important issue that arises here pertains to the condition of urban local
governments and the urban areas in the light of recent urban sector reforms. The
present scenario is such that several legal reforms are yet to be implemented
throughout the country and other reforms are visible only in a few large urban centres
of the country. Furthermore, there is enough evidence to prove that the legal reforms,
characterised by devolution of powers and functions to municipalities, conduct of
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regular and fair elections to municipalities, reservation of seats in municipalities,
constitution of various types of committees, etc., as well as other reforms, have not
brought about a significant change in the functioning of a large number of urban local
governments. It would be useful to carefully evaluate the impact of recent reforms and
assess the level of autonomy, participation, efficiency, equity, transparency,
accountability and the rule of law at local government level by using suitable
indicators of good urban governance.
Table-8
Districtwise Reservation in Nagar Nikay
S.No. Name of District Name of Nagar Nikay Caste of
Reservation
1 Haridwar Mangalore
Haridwar
Rurkee
OBC
Unreserved
Unreserved
2. Dehradun Vikas Nagar
Musorie
Rishikesh
Female
Unreserved
Unreserved
3. Tehri Tehri Narendra Nagar Female
Female
4. Uttarkashi Uttarkashi Female
5. Chamoli Joshimath
Gopeshwar-Chamoli
Female
Unreserved
6. Garhwal Dugadda
Pauri
Srinagar
Kotdwar
Female
Unreserved
Unreserved
Unreserved
(76)
7. Udham Singh Nagar Jaspur
Kashipur
Gadarpur
Khatima
Rudrapur
Bazpur
Kiccha
Sitarganj
OBC
OBC
Female
Female
Unreserved
Unreserved
Unreserved
Unreserved
8. Nainital Nainital
Bhowali
Ramnagar
Haldwani-Kathgodam
SC Female
SC
OBC Female
Unreserved
9. Almora Almora Unreserved
10. Bageshwar Bageshwar SC
11. Pithoragarh Pithoragarh Unreserved
12. Chamapawat Tanakpur Female
Source- Uttarakhand Government Urban Development Department
References
1. A Municipal area is divided into wards in such a manner that the population in
each ward is kept the same, as far as possible. Furthermore, the number of
wards to be delimited in a municipal area depends on the population of the
town. For example, the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973 provides that
municipalities with a population size of 1,00,0000-3,00,000 will have 31
wards/seats
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2. The 74th Amendment Act, 1992 provides that: (a) the superintendence,
direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls, and the conduct of
all elections to municipalities shall vest in the State Election Commission; and
(b) an election to constitute a municipality shall be completed before the
expiry of its duration. It may be mentioned here that in the past local
governments in India were dissolved by the State Government due to poor
performance and remained non-functional for extended periods of time. This
affected adversely the condition of urban areas.
3. The 74th Amendment Act, 1992 provides that seats shall be reserved for the
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women belonging to the Scheduled
Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, all other Women, and the Backward Class of
citizens, as the case may be. The criteria for reservation of all seats to
municipalities are defined in the respective State municipal Acts.
4. The Legislature of a State may provide for the representation of persons
(referred to in Table ....) in a municipality.
5. Formal statement of a committee's opinion.
6. The power to vote for a resolution lies only with the councillor. The other
members and authorities who participate in the meeting do not have liberty to
vote upon or to make any proposition at such meetings. However in case of an
equality of votes, the Mayor/President has the right of casting vote.
7. Special meeting may, however, be called by the presiding officer of a
municipality at any time.
8. Statement of the price at which one offers to supply goods or services. For
example, tender for the construction of an overhead water tank.
9. For example, The Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 1959 provides for the
appointment of the following committees: (a) executive committee;
(b) finance committee (c) Health and sanitation committee; (d) Building and
works committee; (e) rules and bye-laws committee; and (f) public
conveyance committee.
(78)
10. With increasing realisation that property tax is also affected, local
governments in a few Indian states (namely, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal) have rationalised the property tax
assessment procedures.
11. The central government budget allocations- indicated in the Five Year and
Annual Plan documents prepared by the Planning Commission, Government
of India- are a major source of financing urban infrastructure in India. From
the government budget, funds are provided for the development of specific
infrastructure, such as water supply and sanitation, as well as released for
various urban development schemes.
The Central Finance Commission (CFC) provides grants to local governments (rural
and urban) every five years (released through state governments at one year
interval) with the aim of strengthening their financial position, i.e., to enable
local governments to discharge at least their primary functions in an effective
manner, including the provision and maintenance of basic civic services, such
as primary educating, primary health care, safe drinking water, street lighting,
sanitation including drainage and scavenging facilities, etc., The distribution
of these grants to the state government and for further allocation among
various local governments is based on certain urban area characteristics, such
as population size, extent of decentralization occurred, efforts made by local
governments to raise own revenues, level of per capita income and
geographical area.
12. Local governments receive a consolidated amount every year from the state-
level finance commission (SFC) to fulfil their expenditure responsibilities,
including those related to the development and provision of essential
urban/municipal/civic services. The Finance Commissions of various states
have recommended general principles in respect of fiscal transfers from the
states to panchayats (rural local governments) and municipalities. Such fiscal
transfers/devolution of funds from the state governments (namely, Municipal
Corporations, Municipal Councils and Town/Nagar Panchayats) on the basis
of criteria, such as population size and geographical area within the
jurisdiction of local governments. Within this scheme of devolution, emphasis
(79)
is simultaneously laid on making local government authorities realise that they
should make [productive use of their own resources by effective
implementation of their tax laws and recovery of their dues.
13. In India, four major financial institutions have been engaged in providing
finance for urban infrastructure development. These include the Housing and
Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), the Life Insurance Corporation
(LIC), the Infrastructure leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) and the
Infrastructure Development and Fiancé Corporation (IDFC). These agencies
have contributed significantly towards financing infrastructure
schemes/projects on water supply, sewerage, drainage, solid waste
management, transport centres/terminals, roads, bridges, etc.
14. In some states of India, financial intermediaries (i.e. institutions such as banks,
associations, agencies, etc.) have been established to enable municipal
governments, statutory boards and private corporations to borrow funds for
implementing a wide range of infrastructure projects including water supply,
sewerage, solid waste management roads/bridges, transportation, site and
services. Notable among these intermediaries is the Tamil Nadu Urban
Development Fund which was crated as an important component under the
Tamil Nadu Urban Development Project in 1988 by the state government of
Tamil Nadu and select financial institutions, with active support from the
World Bank, for funding urban infrastructure projects in the state. TNUDF is
funded by contributions from state government through loans as well as
grants, and repayment by urban local governments. The fund is managed by a
private Asset Management Company, which also operates a grant fund that is
primarily used to strengthen the financial, technical, and managerial capacities
of the municipal governments. It is learnt that urban local governments have
benefited tremendously in terms of the easy access to capital, which was
previously not available, and on acceptable terms and conditions. There exist
some state/metropolitan-level institutions that provide funds to urban local
governments for infrastructure development in other Indian States. Examples
of these include Kerala Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation
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(KUIDC), Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation, and
Gujarat Municipal Finance Board (GMFB).
15. In some states, municipal bonds have been issue to raise private capital.
Knowing that funds for urban services cannot be supplied through traditional
means and that these can be met only with the addition of private finance,
some local governments, namely Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Ludhiyana, Nagpur,
Nasik, etc., have turned to municipal bond markets as the solution.
16. External assistance and donor interventions in India's urban sector grew during
the early 1990s. Over a period of time, the financial assistance programmes
covered the following urban sub-sectors: (urban water supply and sanitation;
(b) urban environment; (c) urban planning; (d) urban transport; (e) urban
infrastructure; (f) capacity building of urban local bodies; (g) urban poverty
reduction; (h) housing; and (i) research training and database.
17. The aim of the JNNURM is to encourage reforms and create conditions for the
planned development of about 63 cites/urban agglomerations. The main focus
is on promoting efficiency in urban infrastructure and service delivery
mechanisms, community participation, and accountability of local
governments and statutory agencies towards urban citizens. The mission was
launched on 3-12-2005 and has duration of seven years beginning 2005-06.
18. The UIDSSMT has been initiated for meeting the urban infrastructure
requirements in cities/towns other than those included in the JNNURM. The
scheme subsumes a number of on-going urban development schemes, namely
Infrastructure Development in Mega Cities, the Integrated Development of
Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT), Accelerated Urban Water Supply
Programme (AUWSP), and the Urban Reform Incentive Fund (URIF).
19. The MML is a unified law for the three types of municipalities; which has
been prepared to assist/guide urban local governments in implementing the
74th Amendment Act Provisions, and to provide a legislative framework for
implementing the urban sector reforms identified by the Ministry of Urban
Development.
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20. A National e-Governance Action Plan has been drawn to create a
citizen/business-centric environment at the centre, state and integrated service
levels. The focus is on promoting use of technology to improve the
functioning of government departments.
21. Report cards (with information on rating of major agencies) have been
prepared for some urban centres, namely Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai,
Kolkata, Pune, to assess the performance of service providers. These are based
on feedback through sample survey from citizens on the city's services.
22. The introduction of a citizens' charter by a few urban local governments in
India, namely New Delhi Municipal Council and Mumbai Municipal
Corporation, is yet another approach for ensuring accountability and
transparency among agencies dealing with public services. Citizens' charter is
a statement prepared by the local government which provides information on
citizen's entitlement to various municipal services, i.e., it describes the level
and quality of service which the people have a right to expect and what steps
to take if the service level and quality of service which the people have a right
to expect and what steps to take if the service level and quality is below their
expectation.
23. To overcome the problems related to the governance of urban local
governments, some state governments in India have taken the initiative to
remodel their administrative structure. In the new arrangement (know as
Mayor-in-Council), the executive power is vested in the Mayor and the
council of elected representatives, whereas the Municipal Commissioner
functions under the supervision and control of the Mayor, and is responsible
for providing assistance in administrative matters. Thus, the Mayor and the
Council play a more active role in policy formulation as well as in executive
matters.
24. A National Municipal Accounting Manual has been prepared which details out
the accounting policies, procedures, guidelines designed to ensure correct,
complete and timely recording of municipal transactions and produce accurate
and relevant financial reports. The Manual is to be adopted and followed by
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various State governments while drafting their State-specific municipal
accounts manual. This initiative is expected to enhance the capacity of urban
local governments in municipal accounting leading to increased transparency
and accountability in utilization of public funds and to ensure that such local
institutions play their roles more effectively.
25. This scheme has been introduced to enable smaller municipalities explore
alternative source of funding for their bankable projects. It aims at providing
credit enhancement to access market borrowings on a creditworthy basis.
26. This scheme facilities city-level reforms by funding the transaction costs of
moving towards sustainable systems of municipal management and service
delivery.
27. In a growing number of urban centres, including Navi Mumbai, Rajkot,
Chennai, Tirppura, the private sector has been encouraged to play a role in
various service delivery aspects. By involving the private sector, the local
agencies have benefited in terms of cost savings and better performance
through competition.
28. A review of the Indian experience in participatory governance reveals that
community participation in the improvement of basic services has occurred on
a limited scale. Such participation has taken place in two ways, i.e., as a result
of their own initiative and by their involvement in government-run
programmes.
(83)
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS OF THE FUNCTIONS OF MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS
(84)
Chapter- IV
Analysis of the Functions of Municipal
Institutions
Introduction
The economic base of the Nation through expanding urban centres; cities have
strongly emerged as prime engines of Indian economy and generator of National
wealth1 "Urbanization is enviable concomitant of economic change"2 But the
worrying aspect of urbanization is the ever growing problem of slum areas. The
developing countries are able to provide planned urbanization process to urban areas
but not able to provide basic facilities to slum areas. The over growing number of
slum areas in India can be shown from the following table No. 1
Table-1
Growth of Slum Areas
Year 1981 Year 1991 Population
increased%
Area
State
Urban
Population
Appropriate
of
Population
marked
Slum areas
Population Appropriate
of
Population
marked
Slum areas
Urbanization Slum
Areas
India 1597.27 297.14 2179.10 467.26 36.4 67.4
From the above table it is clearly evident that from 1981 to 1991 the
population of slum areas has increased double fold in comparison to nation status and
in Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand it has increased three times.................
(85)
Due to the increase of population there is urbanization of poverty as landless
workers started migrating to urban areas in search of employment. Therefore many
fold increase in workers population and slum areas are evident.
While different state laws have adopted different definitions of the word slum,
census of India 2001 has proposed to treat the following as 'slum' areas3-
(i) All areas notified as 'slum' by State/Local Government and administration
which have not been formally notified as slum under any Act;
(ii) A compact area of at least 300 populations or about 60-70 households of
poorly built congested tenements, in unhygienic environment usually with
inadequate infrastructure and lacking in proper sanitary and drinking water
facilities.
Slums are an integral part of urban areas and contribute significantly to their
economy both, through their labour market contributions and informal production
activities. This policy therefore, endorses an upgrading and improvement approach in
all slums. It does not advocate the concept of slum clearance except under strict
guidelines set down for resettlement and rehabilitation in respect of certain slums
located on untenable sites.4
National slums policy suggests, "cites without slums should be the goal and
objective of all urban planning for social and economic development. To reach this
goal, it will be necessary to revision our urban development processes to make towns
and cities fully democratic, economically productive, socially just, environmentally
sustainable, and culturally vibrant."
Slum Area Programme in Uttarakhand
Only in seven districts out of thirteen districts of Uttarakhand "National Slum
Reform Programme in this programme in Uttarakhand has started. The programme
has not started in the districts of Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat.
The progress of National Slum Reform Programme is depicted from the
following table.
(86)
Table- 2
National Slum Reform Prgramme in Uttarakhand
Physical
Progress
S.No. District Urban
Population
Dated 1-
4-2001
remaining
amount
Year
2001-
2002
amount
Total
Target Supply
1. Nainital 184565 6.04 36.67 42.71 38857 10929
2. Almora 28811 Not
applicable
- - - -
3. Pithoragarh 35697 Not
applicable
- - - -
4. U.S. Nagar 275531 Not
applicable
- - - -
5. Champawat 19526 Not
applicable
- - - -
6. Bageshwar 5772 Not
applicable
- - - -
7. Uttarkashi 17261 11.58 3.54 15.12 31000 2666
8. Tehri 39113 1.03 1.73 2.76 - -
9. Garhwal 63010 2.19 8.63 10.82 14122 -
10. Chamoli 38998 1.62 7.79 9.41 14890 2345
11. Haridwar 297178 0.23 30.43 30.66 4088 15
12. Dehradun 386406 22.28 70.53 92.81 61715 2823
13. Rudraprayag 1542 Not
applicable
- - - -
Total 1375410 44.97 159.32 204.29 201400 18778
Source- Progressive Report 2000-2001 in Uttarakhand SUDA (Urban Population
Year-1991)
(87)
The numbers of slum areas are increasing in an alarming rate at Dehradun,
Haridwar, Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital and Champawat districts of
Uttarakhand. The reason behind it is not only that migration from rural areas of
Uttarakhand but workers from outside is also adding fuel to the fire and slum areas
are increasing day-by-day. The bad and dirty condition of these areas is disturbing the
day-to-day condition of a particular area. Therefore it is very-very necessary to
control the expansion of slum areas. The reform of slum area is the Constitutional
duty of urban administration. Therefore to meet out the challenges and problems of
slums areas, policy solutions are required, so that the growth of slum areas is
effectively stopped and solutions be found.
Reasons of Municipal Administration not are able to
face the challenges
It is a known fact that in most of the urban/municipal areas dirt, filth and
rubbish thrown here and there is a common site. Day to day cleaning is not the culture
of habited areas of municipality. Everyday disposal of rubbish is not done in many
areas of urban setting, therefore areas remain dirty. Similarly roads, drainage and lane
also remain dirty. In the last few years national and local papers published from
Uttarakhand tried to draw the attention of municipal administration about the
cleanliness of the different areas. The impact was for the time being but the problem
remained the same. Municipal administration of Uttarakhand took few special drives
for cleanliness which are as follows-
(1) Use of polythene and plastic- The use of polyethein and plastics are
in a big way in all the Municipal areas of Uttarakhand. There are
sporadic incidents of animal death after eating polythin in hill areas
viz. Bageshwar. The polythene is the major cause which stops the flow
of drainage in all the municipal areas. In hill areas it normally flows
down during heavy rainy season but some time rains are also not
sufficient. The heap of polythene around the municipal areas is the
common site. There are some public awareness programmes conducted
in the hill areas of Uttarakhand by voluntary organizations and
municipalities, but result is not desirable. Few municipalities have
(88)
come up with punishment for the use of polythene but unfortunately
there is no municipality or site where polythene could have stopped
completely. In nutshell Municipalities are unable to control the use of
polythene and plastics at present.
(2) Solid waste management- The Uttarakhand Forest and Environment
Department came forward in Uttarakhand on 5th June 2002 about the
policy and work planning for the urban solid waste management. Solid
waste includes news-paper, tin boxes, bottles, glass, ashes, domestic
garbage etc. The disposal of this solid waste requires space for its
management.5
Solid waste is the by-product of materialistic modern life. In the last few years
particularly in Dehradun, Haldwani, Kotdwar and Kashipur solid waste has increased
many folds. It is polluting the land and in the rainy seasons situation becomes bad and
unhygienic to the people who resides nearby. Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board is
coming up with the marked areas and giving the direction for solid waste
management.
It is evident that Government of India from the environment conservation
point of view listed the five areas of priority. These are Soil erosion, Biodiversity,
Management of clean water sources, Air Pollution and Solid Waste Management. Out
of these five, air pollution (due to vehicles) and solid waste management is directly
related to urban areas.
The Pollution Control Board of Uttarakhand's policy and working plan only
limited to point out the problems. Therefore the solution of the problem is confined to
respective departments and institutions. The problem of many municipalities are
infrastructural as well as disposal of urban solid waste. The segregation of solid waste
into degradable and non-degradable requires money, technique, man-power and
direction and municipalities do not have all these things. Therefore it is difficult to
dispose and manage solid waste.
3. Floating Population– Every year double the population of
Uttarakhand tourist come to different parts of state. Therefore their
contribution in urban solid waste is on high note. Therefore it can be
(89)
said that this is the negative contribution of tourist business in the state.
The urban local bodies of Uttarakhand are with great difficulty able to
manage solid waste and on top of that tourist increases the garbage
problem in many folds. Hence ULBs are not able to dispose of the
waste in a proper manner.
4. Non-availability of trenching ground- It is a common site of garbage
heap in urban areas. The reason behind is that municipalities do not
have trenching grounds. Therefore they dispose the garbage in the
empty land and if there is any objection they change the place for
disposal of solid waste. The 'Amar Ujala' news paper publish from
Dehradun on 1 October, 2002 did draw the attention of Municipality of
Srinagar-Garhwal about the problem, as shown in the box below-
dc gksxh dwM+k fuLrkj.k dh O;oLFkk\
vej mtkyk izfrfuf/k
Jhuxj ¼x<+oky½A uxj ds dwM+k&djdV ds fuLrkj.k dks ysdj uxj ikfydk
ifj"kn~ eqf'dy esa gSA /kksch?kkV esa tks txg Vsªfpax xzkm.M ds fy, izzLrkfor dh xbZ Fkh] ogka
ds yksxksa dh vkifÙk ds ckn fQygky uofufeZr cl vM~Ms ds ikl fLFkr Hkwfe ij gh
dwM+k&djdV Qsadk tk jgk gSA xaxk iznw"k.k ds pyrs dqN ekg igys dwM+k Mkyus dh txg
cnyh xbZ FkhA exj orZeku O;oLFkk esa Hkh ;g vk'kadk cuh gqbZ gSA
uxj dwM+s&djdV ds fuLrkj.k ds fy, eqdEey O;oLFkk ugha gSA dkQh le; rd
dwM+k&djdV vyduank unh ds rV ij Qsaddj uxjikfydk ifj"kn~ us [kqn gh xaxk iznw"k.k
jksdus dh ljdkjh dljr dk e[kkSy mM+k;kA
rhu ekg igys ftyk iz'kklu ds gLr{ksi ij vyduank unh ds rV ij dwM+k Mkyus
ij yksxksa us vkifÙk dj nhA /kksch?kkV ds vklikl ds dqN ifjokjksa dk dguk gS fd cxSj
Vsªfpax ds /kksch?kkV esa dwM+k Mkyus ls lkjk dwM+k cgdj muds ?kjksa esa ?kql tkrk gSA blds
ckn ;gka dwM+k Mkyuk can dj fn;k x;kA
uxjikfydk ifj"kn us orZeku esa dwM+k Mkyus dh tks O;oLFkk dh gS] og tkus
vutkus xaxk iznw"k.k dh vk'kadkvksa ls vNwrh ugha gSA vyduank ds rV ij cl vM~Ms ds
(90)
ihNs dh Hkwfe dks Hkh igys Vsªfpax xzkmaM ds fy, izLrkfor fd;k x;k Fkk] ysfdu xaxk ,D'ku
Iyku ds dk;Z ds fy, ;gka Vsªfpax xzkmaM cukus dk bjknk R;kxuk iM+k FkkA fQygky
dkepykÅ O;oLFkk esa ;gha ij xuj dk lkjk dwM+k Mkyk tk jgk gSA cjlkr esa ;g dwM+k
cgdj vyduank unh esa pyk tkrk gSA
la?k"kZ djus ij miftykf/kdkjh o uxjikfydk ifj"kn~ ds izHkkjh ct̀s'k dqekj us
crk;k fd dwM+k Mkyus dh ekStwnk O;oLFkk ftykf/kdkjh ds funsZ'k ij dh xbZ gSA /kksch?kkV
ds vklikl ds yksxksa ds ,rjkt vkSj cl vM~Ms ds ihNs dh Hkwfe ij fQygky xaxk ,D'ku
Iyku ls lEcfU/kr dksbZ dk;Z u gksus dh otg ls ;g O;oLFkk dh xbZ gSA
It is a big problem of Municipalities to get the land for trenching ground. The
reason behind is that the Uttarakhand has 2/3 area of forest land out of total area
available with state and urban areas do not have any non-fertile or revenue land for
this purpose. 'Danik Jagran' another news paper published from Dehradun on 24
October, 2002 came up with the problem of Municipality of Rishikesh for acquiring
the forest land for trenching ground for disposal of solid waste as shown below-
Vsªfuax xzkm.M dks ou foHkkx Hkwfe miyC/k djok,xk
tkxj.k dk;kZy; _f"kds'k] 23 vDVwcj
uxj {ks= ds dwM+k fuLrkj.k lEcU/kh leL;k dk yxrk gS vc LFkk;h gy fudy
tk;sxkA ou foHkkx }kjk Vsªfpax xzkm.M ds fy, 'kh?kz Hkkjr ljdkj dks izLrko Hkstk tk;sxkA
miftykf/kdkjh fuf/k JhokLro }kjk vkgwr cSBd esa ou foHkkx ds ofj"B vf/kdkfj;ksa
ds lkFk gqbZ ea=.kk ds i'pkr~ bl izLrko ij ldkjkRed fu.kZ; fy;k x;kA miftykf/kdkjh
us crk;k fd uxj {ks= esa dwM+k fuLrkj.k dk dksbZ mi;qZDr LFkku iz'kklu dks ugha fey ik;k
FkkA bl cSBd esa bl leL;k ij ppkZ gqbZ ftlesa izHkkxh; oukf/kdkjh nsgjknwu Mk0 ,l0Mh0
flag us vk'oklu fn;k fd ';keiqj ckbZikl ekxZ ij Vsªfpax xzkmaM ds fy, Hkwfe ryk'k dj
bl ckor ,d izLrko Hkkjr ljdkj dks Hkstk tk;sxkA dqaHk esys ds nkSjku ou foHkkx }kjk
vLFkk;h :i ls Vsªfpax xkm.M ds fy, ;g iz;kl fd;s tk;saxsA la;qDr ;k=k cl LVSaM tks
fd ou Hkwfe esa fLFkr gS] ftldh yht o"kZ 1999 esa lekIr gks x;h gS] ds ckjs esa cSBd esa
foLrkj ls ppkZ gqbZ ftlesa ;g fu.kZ; fy;k x;k fd ;k=k LVSaM {ks= dks c<+k;k tk;sxk uxj
dh ;krk;kr leL;k dks ns[krs gq, vM~Ms ds lehi gh vU; okguksa ds fy, Hkwfe miyC/k
(91)
djk;h tk;sxhA miftykf/kdkjh us crk;k fd bl ckor ,d izLrko ou foHkkx }kjk dsUnz
ljdkj dks Hkstk tk;sxkA mUgksaus tkudkjh nh fd ;k=k vM~Ms ij ou Hkwfe ij gq, vfrØe.k
dks gVkus ds fy, ou foHkkx vkSj iz'kklu }kjk la;qDr :i ls vfHk;ku pyk;k tk;sxk
ftlds rgr ou foHkkx lEcfU/kr yksxksa dks uksfVl tkjh djsxkA bl cSBd esa ou
{ks=kf/kdkjh vkj0,l0 vk;Z] rglhynkj lkse izdk'k 'kekZ] ikfydk ds vf/k'kklh vf/kdkjh
fofp= flag iaokj] dj v/kh{kd ;w0,l0 usxh vkfn mifLFkr FksA
Need to ban polythene and plastics- U.P. plastic and other Bio-degradable Garbage
(Regulation of use and Disposal) ordinance was implemented. Rules were made for
the disposal of garbage, polythene, nylon, PVC, poly-prop line and poly-styling. But
it could not be implemented in a forceful manner and the out come remains the same.
Hence garbage is increasing day-by-day and problem remains the same rather serious.
Absence of Equipment- The issue of 7 January 2002 of gives the news about the
equipment for cleaning purchase and their distribution to the workers-
yk[kksa ds fjD'ks&Bsys [kjkc dksbZ iwNugkj ugha
uxj laoknnkrk] nsgjknwu
uxj fuxe iz'kklu dh lQkbZ deZpkfj;ksa dks lgwfy;rsa nsus ds nkos dh iksy [kqyus
yxh gS dwM+k Qsadus ds fy, eaxk, x, yk[kkssa :i;s ds fjD'ks vkSj Bsys lM+us dh dxkj ij
igaqap x;s gSa] ysfdu uxj fuxe vf/kdkfj;ksa dks lQkbZ deZpkfj;ksa dks bu fjD'kksa] dks
forfjr djus dh lq/k ugha gSA
djhc pkj lky igys lkfyM osLV eSaustesaV ds rgr uxj fuxe iz'kklu us yxHkx
ikap yk[k :i;s ds lkS Bsys vkSj fjD'ks [kjhns Fks rkfd iqjkus fjD'kksa ls deZpkfj;ksa dks futkr
fnykbZ tk lds vksj u, izdkj ds fjD'kksa dk iz;ksx djds ekuo lal/kku dk csgrj bLrseky
fd;k tk ldsA ;g ;sktuk dbZ egkuxjksa ds uxj fuxe esa pykbZ tk jgh ;kstuk ds
vuqlkj cukbZ xbZ FkhA igys NksVs Bsys Fks ftuds ek/;e ls dwM+k de mBk;k tk ikrk Fkk]
lkFk gh deZpkjh dks esgur Hkh vf/kd djuh iM+rh FkhA bu fjD'kksa dks vke rkSj ij fjD'kksa
dh rjg gh cuk;k x;k FkkA ftlls eksgYyksa ls dwM+k fudky dj lQkbZ deZpkjh vklkuh ls
daVsuj esa dwM+s dks [kkyh dj ldsaaA
uxj fuxe esa lcls igys lQkbZ deZpkfj;ksa dks fuD'ks nsus dh ekax 1998 esa mBh
(92)
FkhA ml le; deZpkfj;ksa us ikfydk iz'kklu dks fjD'ks u eaxkus ij gM+rky dh /kedh Hkh
nh FkhA vycRrk uxj fuxe us fjD'ks [kjhnus dk ,d izLrko 'kklu dks Hkstk vkSj blds
fy, ctV dh ekax dh ysfdu 'kklu us bl izLrko dks ukeatwj dj fn;kA gkykafd ckn esa
rRdkyhu uxj ikfydk v/;{k fouksn peksyh us deZpkfj;ksa dh ekax ij fjD'ks eaxkus dk
fu.kZ; fy;k FkkA ysfdu uxj ikfydk dks uxj fuxe dk ntkZ feyus ds ckn ;g ekeyk
BaMs cLrs esa pyk x;kA dwM+k mBkus esa vkus okyh fnDdrksa ls ijs'kku deZpkfj;ksa us bl
ekeys dks nksckjk mBk;kA dkQh tn~nkstgn ds ckn uxj fuxe us fjD'ks [kjhnsA ysfdu og
lQkbZ deZpkfj;ksa dks fjD'ks forfjr djus es foQy jgkA
vHkh rd cngky fLFkfr esa lM+s fjD'ks vkSj Bsys uxj fuxe dh 'kksHkk c<+k jgs gSA
ysfdu uxj fuxe vf/kdkfj;ksa dks deZpkfj;ksa dks nsus dh lq/k ugha gSA lQkbZ deZpkjh
laxBuksa dh vksj ls blds fy, dbZ ckj ekax Hkh dh tk pqdh gSA ysfdu vf/kdkfj;ksa dks
blls dksbZ ljksdkj ugha gSA bu fjD'kksa dks dc forfjr fd;k tk;sxk] ;g crkus ds fy,
uxj fuxe esa dksbZ vf/kdkjh rS;kj ugha gSA
Due to the absence or poor management disposal of garbage remains a
problem. Many a time animals' dead body found on the roadside or on the streets. It
makes not only the environment polluted but also image of the area gets deteriorated.
The news papers 'Dainik Jagran' published from Dehradun on 17 October, 2002 is put
up in the box-
nks fnu rd lM+rh jgh xk;] fuxe cs[kcj
tkxj.k izfrfuf/k] nsgjknwu
jkt/kkuh ds ikW'k bykdksa esa ,d vksYM losZ jksM ij ,d xk; foxr nks fnuksa ls er̀
iM+h jgh ysfdu uxj fuxe ds deZpkfj;ksa us mldks mBkus dh tger ugha mBkbZA ogha
vkt LFkkuh; ukxfjdksa }kjk dbZ ckj uxj fuxe ds vf/kdkfj;ksa ,oa deZpkfj;ksa ls f'kdk;r
djus ds ckn Hkh dksbZ dkjZokbZ ugha dh xbZA
vksYM losZ ij etkj ds ikl dy izkr% yxHkx nl cts ,d vkokjk xk; dh eR̀;q
gks xbZA xk; ds ejus ls vklikl cncw QSyus ls yksxksa dk fudyuk rd eqf'dy gks x;kA
ogha ikl esa gh ikbu gky o fyadu Ldwy gksus ls ;gka ls xqtjus okys cPpksa vkSj muds
vfHkHkkodksa dks Hkkjh dfBukbZ dk lkeuk djuk iM+kA bl jkLrs ls gksdj tloar ekWMy
(93)
Ldwy tkus okys cPps cncw ds pyrs eqag ij diM+k j[kdj jkLrk ikj djus dks etcwj gks
x;sA dy nsj 'kke rd LFkkuh; fuokfl;ksa us uxj fuxe dks xk; mBokus ds fy, dbZ Qksu
fd;s ysfdu deZpkfj;ksa us er̀ xk; mBkus ds fy, dksbZ Hkh tger ugha mBkbZA
er̀ xk; dks vkt lqcg Hkh mBkus ds fy, dksbZ Hkh deZpkjh ugha vk;k ftlls
LFkkuh; yksxks esa [kklk jks"k O;kIr FkkA ogha lM+u ds pyrs yksxksa dk fudyuk rd eqf'dy
FkkA er̀ xk; u mBk, tkus ls LFkkuh; fuokfl;ksa us jks"k O;Dr djrs gq, dgk fd tc ,d
er̀ tkuoj dks mBkus esaa deZpkjh bl dnj Hkkx jgs gSa rks 'kgj ds nwljs xans {ks=kssa dk D;k
gky gksxkA
ogha er̀ xk; u mBus ls vkokjk tkuoj mlds vklil vkdj [kkus yxs ftlls
chekjh QSyus dk [krjk mRiUu gks x;kA {ks=h; yksxksa us uxj fuxe esa er̀ xk; ls chekjh
QSyus dk [krjk trk;k rks ogka mifLFkr ,d deZpkjh us mudks dlkbZ ls feyus ds fy,
dgk ftlls yksx [kkl mRrsftr gks x,A ckn esa uxj fuxe ds gh ,d vf/kdkjh us yksxksa
dh f'kdk;r lqudj rRdky er̀ xk; mBkus dk vkns'k fn;k rc tkdj yxHkx Ms<+ cts
ogka xk; dks mBk;k x;kA
Increase in Population- The population growth of Urban Uttarakhand from 1991 to
2001 was 35 percent. The increase in Dehradun was 57.9 percent and in Haldwani-
Kathgodam it was 52-62 percent.
Therefore Municipalities are unable to manage and dispose the garbage and
waste generated.
Industrial and Commercial development- Urban Solid waste is the gift of modern
materialistic culture and development of urban areas. Uttarakhand Urban areas are
also no exception in this case.
Transport system- The rail and bus stations of urban areas of Uttarakhand are not
located in proper places. And more than one lakh registered buses are conducted in
Uttarakhand and apart from that thousand buses enter in Uttarakhand state everyday.
The tourist influx in Uttarakhand is also in large number. Therefore around the rail
and bus stations garbage is a common site. There is no proper cleaning mechanism of
garbage and you find garbage in these areas.
(94)
Need of work Culture-
Dedication towards the work is a common and widespread problem of
government departments and establishments. Therefore day-by-day the privatization
of establishments is on the way. Institutions already started the outsourcing of such
type of work. Municipalities are also the victim of work culture and their man-power
and physical strength are not fully utilized. Therefore how government establishment
can be utilized in full still remains a question to be answered.
Worker and Labour Union- The Adhiniyam of ULBs has announced that cleanliness
works are essential and basic need based work and workers are not supposed to be
absent without prior sanction. But on the call of Union the cleanliness work keep
suffering and no serious action is taken. It is a well known fact that the role of worker
and labour union has been recognized in main democracy but at the same time the
management of solid waste remains a problem of Indian democracy.
Therefore, there is an urgent need of application of modern tools and
technique in waste management. So that the dignity of human labour may be utilized
properly and urban areas remain neat and clean. Therefore availability of finance to
Municipality remains the basic problem.
Urban Local Bodies
At the local (town) level, the Urban Development Department (UDD) is the
administrative department for the state’s ULBs. The ULBs of Uttarakhand are
currently governed by the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act 1959 as amended
upto 2000, and the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Municipalities Act 1916 as
amended upto 2001, both of which the state inherited from Uttar Pradesh. Both U.P.
Municipal Acts are fully in line with the 74th Constitutional Amendment, after the
passing of the 74th Amendment and after the creation of Uttarakhand as a separate
State, it would appear that none of the major provisions of the Act meant to expand
the functional domain of the ULB’s and “endow them with such powers and authority
as to enable them to function as institutions of self government” (Art 243W of the
Constitution of India), have been implemented. Typical municipal functions such as
water supply, drainage, sewerage, and building regulation are currently performed by
(95)
non-municipal agencies; water supply, drainage and sewerage by two the parastatals
(UPJN and UJS), and building regulation by government agencies that fall under the
Development Authorities or District Magistrates.
There is a proposal to enact a unified law based on the Model Municipal Law
of the Ministry of Urban Development (GoI). The proposed law will place water
supply, sewerage, and drainage in the list of obligatory functions to be transferred to
in conformity with the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA). By implication,
these functions, which are now performed by Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (UPJN) and
Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan (UJS), will be transferred to the municipal domain.
However, as the things stand now, institutionally, the municipalities are in no position
to take on these responsibilities due to constraints which include a lack of technical
competence and financial strength, and inadequate management capacity. The ULBs
will need time and significant capacity building to develop preparedness to carry out
their responsibilities in respect of these functions.
As a part of the municipal strengthening program, it is also necessary that the
planning role and capacity of the municipalities be augmented. Planning units are
required in the larger municipalities which should have access to an appropriate range
of technical skills, including town planners, economists, sociologists, geographers,
statisticians etc. Other appropriate arrangements, such as zonal planning offices, one
required for smaller municipalities.
The potential for private sector participation (PSP) in public infrastructure and
service provision is relatively underdeveloped in the state. Weak ULBs and the low
rate of revenue recovery for urban services are the biggest obstacles to PSP in public
infrastructure and services. The fragmented institutional framework also poses
contractual and regulatory challenges to PSP. A preparatory phase with sectoral
reforms, capacity building support and contracting of services would help prepare the
sector for deeper forms of PSP in infrastructure and service provision.
Urban Reforms
As the state is likely to access Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM) funds for 3 towns– Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital, the state is
(96)
required to comply with the reform agenda of JNNURM. The reforms which
comprise both mandatory and optional reform are in line with the objectives and
requirements of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.
Key areas which require addressing if the urban sector is to be able to progress
as anticipated by GoU, including reforms required under JNNURM are:
The strengthening of ULBs through capacity building initiatives (with
the assistance of administrative Training Institute, Nainital and other
training institutions)
Developing competence to prepare development plans
Empowering local governments in urban land management
Improved service provision, through sector reforms and private sector
involvement where appropriate
Urban housing (with an emphasis on the weaker section and also
private participation and slum improvement on a wider scale)
Mobilisation of financial resources (tariff revision, reduction in the
establishment budget and improvement in the self-assessment of
property tax to gradually reduce the dependency of the ULBs on the
state exchequer)
Improved fiscal management: (accounting and auditing, budgeting for
capital and revenue expenditure, billing and collection, and
accountability in utilization of funds).
Some of the identified key areas where improvement will be required
to improve the functioning and effectiveness of UDD are:
The current capacity for policy analysis needs to be fully developed
with the benefit of an adequate data-based management system to: (i)
provide input required for informed policy planning; and (ii) develop
and supervise programmes and projects;
(97)
The outdated and outmoded management information systems in the
Secretariat need modernization and streamlining (action initiated).
Lack of effective data analysis and information management skills
represents a key constraint to informed decision making. This
constraint needs to be removed.
Analysis of comparative municipal performance against predetermined
benchmarks needs to be undertaken;
There is a need for improved information flows between the ULBs and
the UDD or other agencies, for better project implementation (work on
developing e-governance is underway);
The Secretariat needs improved interconnectivity (flow of information)
with its key subordinate offices.
5. Urban Services Reform
Nurse Practitioner (NP) The current policy and institutional framework in
Uttarakhand does not support the provision of high quality and efficient urban
services. While it is true that the centralization of responsibilities for some urban
services at the state level (e.g. water supply and wastewater management) does not
provide a framework for responsive service provision, this is not the only issue. Solid
Waste Management is already devolved to local governments but is not an efficiently
run service. The issue is one of inappropriate incentives, a focus on infrastructure
provision rather than service provision, and the need for a performance-based
structure for service provision. Nurse practitioner (NP) In the water supply and
wastewater management sectors there is a need for progressive devolution of
functions to the ULBs, commencing with the cities and large towns (Nagar Palikirs
and Nagar Palikir Parishads), in line with the provisions of the 74th constitutional
amendment. This needs to take place in parallel with the introduction of incentive-
based management systems for these services, including the development of suitable
Play Station Portable (PSP) models. In the case of solid waste management, provision
of better facilities for collection and disposal of solid waste also needs to be
accompanied by service reform which can incentives the service provider to perform
(98)
better. Nurse practitioner (NP) In the water supply and wastewater management
sectors in particular, continuing state-level subsidy will be necessary to support
service operation, but changes to the ways in which services are budgeted and
accounted (through ring-fencing of revenues and expenditures) are required to ensure
that the levels of subsidy are explicit and transparent. Service sustainability will need
to be guaranteed through progressive improvements in cost recovery (to accompany
service improvements) allowing for a progressive reduction in levels of subsidy.
References
1. Draft National Action Plan for Good Urban Governance
2. National Commission on Urbanization
3. Draft National slum policy
4. Cf. ibid
5. The information documented by the researcher during the survey of the hill
municipalities,
TA – IND 38272 Uttarakhand Urban Development Project Revised Draft
Final Report
TA – IND 38272 Uttaranchal Urban Development Project Revised Draft Final
Report
(99)
CHAPTER FIVE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS OF MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION IN
UTTRAKHAND
(100)
Chapter- V
Challenges and Problems of Municipal Administration in Uttrakhand
The real challenge of urban India lies in the lack of perspectives and political
will for planned interventions in the urban development process. The absence of a
consistent and well-conceived policy framework makes it particularly difficult to
effectively address the main problem areas of employment creation, poverty
alleviation, development of shelter as well as provision of urban infrastructure and
services, and the improvement of environmental management. However, it is already
and widely realized that self-help and public participation will become relevant, and
the formation of new partnerships and the establishment of pragmatic urban
management strategies has become critically important.
Municipal Challenges
India has a very large number of municipalities (Urban Local Bodies), most of
which are considered weak and which are having increasingly greater problems in
meeting the infrastructure needs of rapidly increasing populations. In the past, what
has been making things even worse, generally, was that urban development has been
low on the development agenda and has often been approached as a negative
phenomenon. The crucial point is now best the financial, managerial and technical
resources can be mobilized to effectively cope with this situation. State level as well
as local governments will realize that there is not alternative to work in partnership
with the private sector, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the
community to generate the required resources. Existing legislation will also require
review and reform in order to stimulate the housing construction, land development
and the full expansion of the urban finance sector. Moreover, Indian cities have yet to
find and develop their tools for a sustainable development, and the implementation of
an ecology-conscious urban development- as indicated in the United Nations 'agenda
21' has yet to be initiated at the local level. Environmental degradation and
encroachment may require a new set of rules and penalties to check their impact on
urban development, land and urban densities.
(101)
The present scenario indicates the emerging consensus on policies of a 'new
realism' which recognize the urban development potentials and needs, and balances
these with the existing and potential capacities to manage and address urban
development in a more dynamic, pro-active and responsive manner. This will strive
for more effective linkages between economic and physical development planning,
for a more balanced settlement pattern, improvements of the efficiency of large and
metropolitan cities and their infrastructure, the strengthening of the infrastructure and
economic base of smaller and medium towns, strengthened local governance and
better inter-institutional and inter-sectoral cooperation, as well as more cost-effective
forms of development partnerships.
Urban India is at a juncture to decentralize decision-making power, financial
resource generation and technical capability. This has positive implications and
potentials for the introduction of less rigid urban development planning tools, the
privatization of certain urban services (within reasonable limits), and the chance to
root urban improvements at the neighbourhood or community level.
The facets of this 'new realism' are many and deserve separate quotation here
to implement such a policy of 'new realism' it will be necessary also to put urban
development higher onto the general development agenda. This will require political
commitment and a proper understanding of the importance of sound urban
development in conjunction with decentralization, devolution of powers and public
participation in urban development in conjunction with decentralization, devolution of
powers and public participation in urban development matters. Urban development
schemes and programmes is rapidly developing scenario and require the formation of
new alliances of various urban stakeholder and organizations with their respective
skills, capabilities and potentials. The public sector may, thus, play much more the
role of a facilitator and motivator in the formation of these new partnerships, while
voluntary organizations and NGOs may have to shed their antagonistic attitudes
towards more substantive collaboration with the public sector. Groups of concerned
and active citizens may further help to stimulate such developments, and need to play
the role of the critical voice within the urban development process.
Common to all will be that there are no blueprint across the country. The
adequate mix of interventions, of planning approaches, instruments and practical
(102)
solutions needs to be determined in accordance with the local ground situation. This
has to keep in mind the local political, social and economic situation and their
dynamics. The responsibility and knowledge to respond to these conditions and to
formulate appropriate and realistic urban development plans has to be seen (and
placed) with local politicians, local governments and the community.
Urban poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon and is often characterized
by cumulative deprivations; its causes and consequences are often interlinked. While
migration to cities is generally driven by economic considerations, urbanization forces
the poor into vulnerable situations and creates its own problems for urban local bodies
in terms of the need to provide urban services for the poor. While all urban residents
suffer the consequences of lack of adequate services, it is the urban poor who bear the
brunt of social and physical deprivation. Adversely affected by economic
circumstances and poor access to basic services like education, healthcare, water and
sanitation, housing and public distribution services, the poor have been caught in a
vicious cycle of poverty. About 24% of the Indian urban population live below the
national poverty line of Rs 561.80 (US$ 12.5) per capita per month (2006)1, while the
Human Poverty Index (HPI) in India is 31.3 and Human Development Index (HDI) is
0.472 (2001). In the absence of poverty data for Uttarakhand, the data for Uttar
Pradesh, from which Uttarakhand was carved in 2001, show an HPI of 48.27 and HDI
of 0.388 (2001)- worse than the average national situation. The poverty level is
therefore defined keeping in consideration of the State poverty line as Rs.561.80 (US$
12.5) per capita per month, which is same as the national poverty line. (Appendix 3
presents a detailed treatise on Poverty Profile, Slums and Vulnerable Groups).
With the recent growth in the Indian Economy, both social and economic
indicators have been positively impacted. However, Uttarakhand is regarded as one of
the “stagnant states” in India (along with Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and the other north-eastern states) which
continue to lag behind the rest of the country in terms of their social and poverty
indicators2. One of the major reasons for the stagnation is the lack of access to
economic activities. The stagnant states have (i) an overall poverty level of above
33%3, (ii) average per capita income of below Rs.10,000 (US$ 222), (iii) average
literacy rate of below 46% and attract only 11% of total national project investments.
(103)
Almost 48% of India’s poor and 35.6% of India's population are concentrated in these
states. In absence of adequate economic activities in the state the full potential of
educated workforce can not be harnessed. This also contributes to the existing poverty
levels in Uttarakhand. With recent economic growth not having the anticipated impact
on poverty reduction, major reduction in overall poverty in Uttarakhand will not be
possible unless effective specific interventions for poverty alleviation are intensified
in the Uttarakhand State.
Of the 26% of the state population that live in urban areas, data from Census
of India 2001 on slum population is available only from 6 towns representing about
65% of the total urban population4. This indicates a total slum population of 195,470
in these towns (Male 103,895 and female 91,575), comprising about 8.5 % of the total
urban population of the state. A report5 (2002) of the Government of Uttarakhand, on
“representative” notified slums in the state indicates 43% of the State’s slums were
located in urban fringe areas, and about 57% were along drains. 71% were located on
public land. On an average 72 households were residing in each of the notified slums.
In 71.4% of slums the majority of houses were ‘pucca’, in 14.3% they contained
mostly semi-pucca structures, and in the rest, dwellings were mainly kutcha.
Similarly, 71.4% of slums were connected by motorable pucca road, 14.3% by non-
motorable pucca road and the remainder connected by non-motorable kutcha road. All
the slums had access to electricity supply.
71.4% slums surveyed were covered by piped potable water supply and the
rest by tube well/hand pump. In 42.8% of slums most residents were using their own
latrine with septic tank/flush, while in 28.6% of slums most of the slum dwellers had
no latrine facility; in 14.3% of slums the majority were using community septic
tank/flush latrine and in rest of the slums people were using “other” type of latrine.
Sewerage lines were available in 42.9% of slums. 23. In 85.7% of slums, most of the
streets were pucca and rest of the slums had kutcha streets. Covered pucca drainage
was available in 14.3% of slums, while 71.4% had open pucca drainage and in the rest
kutcha drainage only. None of slums was found to be without drainage facilities but
14.3% of slums were facing water logging (flooding) problems during the monsoon.
Municipal solid waste was collected from 71.4% slums, while the rest disposed of
their own solid waste.
(104)
The above portrayals indicate that, on the whole, the situation of the urban
poor in the slums of Uttarakhand is perhaps not as bad as in other states of the
country. It has also been observed by the researcher that unlike many slums in larger
cities in other states, the slums of Uttarakhand are better placed in terms of housing,
urban services and environmental sanitation. However, in many places, constructions
are unauthorized and service provision and environmental conditions are poor. In
addition many slums are located on public land designated for other purposes or in
vulnerable locations along river banks, along drains or on unstable hill slopes. The
most vulnerable group found in these locations is the BPL group – those living below
the poverty line.
Overview of Existing Infrastructure and Service Provision
While the towns of Uttarakhand themselves, and the condition of
infrastructure and services within these towns varies significantly depending on local
conditions and circumstances, there are many common elements to the issues and
challenges faced by these towns in the infrastructure and service sectors. This section
highlights some of those issues common to all towns, drawn form state-wide data and
from the detailed assessment of infrastructure and services.
1. Water Supply and Wastewater Management
Water Supply
The potential role that urban areas can play in the state’s development is
significantly constrained by deficiencies in basic urban infrastructure and services and
the way in which they are financed and managed. Despite plentiful resources of water
available in the state, their poor management and inadequate supply networks which
do exist, few consider that they have a satisfactory supply. At present, about 80% of
the population has access to piped water supply with about 78% with house
connection and balance draw water from public stand-posts. In some towns many do
not depend on municipal supply and go for independent supply through shallow tube
wells with hand pumps.
(105)
Of those connected to piped networks, service level is poor, with water
generally available for only 2-4 hours per day. There are complains of erratic
pressure, somewhere high and some where low due to improper hydraulics in the
supply network. Rising mains are frequently directly tapped into causing sub-optimal
performance of pumping, storage and distribution. Most of the hill towns have
bunched distribution system causing uneven pressure distribution and loss of head. In
most cases unaccounted for water (UFW) due to leakage in the pipeline and drop in
production efficiencies are reported to be around 30-50% but are probably
significantly higher in actual. As a result, per capita supply rate is restricted to 70
litres per day or even less for substantial population, whereas the minimum supply
rate for introduction of organized sewerage system is recommended by the Central
Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO), Government
of India is 135 litres per capita per day (lpcd). The water supply situation in plain
towns varies widely. In large towns like Dehradun and Haridwar the average per
capita supply is near the GoI prescribed standard. The water source in the plain towns
is generally tubewell which require minimal treatment and constitute a reliable and
economical source. While this is generally the case, in some towns like Ramnagar and
Rudrapur, many households prefer on-site privately owned shallow tubewells without
taking house connections from municipal water distribution system.
Although water is plentiful in the state, the distribution of resources in hill
towns varies widely. In the towns situated beside perennial rivers, like Ganga, sources
are adequate whereas in towns situated away from perennial rivers the sources are
usually small streams or springs which often go dry during summer months. At other
hill towns the rivers are at a lower elevation compared to the towns requiring water to
be pumped up stage by stage resulting in high cost of pumping. These factors
contribute to (i) a low supply rate of 70 lpcd and below in hill region and (ii) high cost
of production and supply.
Some of the sector towns and its fringes have geographical features similar to
the rural settlements. In rural areas the water supply situation is worse. As on 01-04-
2006 there are 39,967 identified rural habitations of which only 13,588 (34%) have
access to piped water at more than 10 lpcd but limited to 40 lpcd.
(106)
There is no database in terms of maps of distribution systems and conditions
of pipes. Old and dilapidated pipelines cause frequent leakage and consequent
breakdowns in supply. The situation is worse with the worn-out pumping equipment
deployed in production and transmission of water which is also responsible for
frequent service interruption.
The treated water quality as supplied to consumers reported to be acceptable in
most cases. However, there is no set procedure of monitoring water quality on a
regular basis, especially in the context of bacteriological contamination. Laboratories
do not all have the required equipment or skills to undertake water analysis for
parameters specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards and/or according to the WHO
guidelines.
Water supply and wastewater management is the responsibility of Uttarakhand
Pey Jal Nigam (UPJN) for capital works and Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan (UJS) for
operation and maintenance, which operate under the Pey Jal Department (Department
of Drinking Water) of GoU. When compared with the typical production costs of
water by the UJS, the tariff is way below these production costs. The wide gap
between actual cost of water production and revenue needs to be progressively closed.
In general, there is no volumetric recording of water consumption for charging the
domestic consumer. In general, the domestic water consumption is charged on the
basis of Annual Rateable Value (ARV) of the property and in most cases it is based
on a flat rate structure. The non-domestic consumers are, however, charged on a
volumetric basis. At the same time substantial quantity of drinking water is used for
non-potable uses (e.g., gardening), and excessive wastage needs to be addressed
through awareness building.
The research find out that the desired service levels to (i) a minimum of 95%,
(ii) assure 24 hrs supply a day at sufficient pressure and (iii) assure uniform supply of
135 lpcd in all towns over a 10-year investment period and (iii) limiting UFW within
20%. Development of water source particularly for the hill towns will be critically
examined while firming up the investment requirements in the program. The mapping
of existing supply network and identification of its hydraulic deficiencies are
proposed to be carried out in advance to enable the authority to rectify the same and
(107)
improve the quality of service delivery without much loss of time after loan
effectiveness.
Sewerage and Sanitation
Environmental conditions, particularly in and around the major urban areas,
are declining rapidly. While only 20 towns have partial sewerage, only two towns
(Haridwar and Rishikesh) have sewage treatment facility. Even in towns having
sewerage, the coverage is about 50% (range 30% to 75%) of the urban population.
Most wastewater is co-disposed with storm water and thence into natural water
courses or water bodies which it pollutes. In addition, discharge of raw sewage or
even contaminated storm water to sensitive water bodies is threatening the fragile
ecosystems of many of the state’s rivers and lakes. The origin of the river Ganga and
Yamuna, two very important rivers of the country originate in Uttarakhand. There are
15 towns located on the banks of these rivers or their tributaries, famous for major
destinations of pilgrims or religious tourism. 14 of these towns are located in hills and
7 are non sector towns. Discharge of raw or mixed sewage to these rivers makes
matters worse because pilgrims take holy dip in these rivers.
The major issues identified in the sanitation sector that need to be addressed
are:
Mapping and rehabilitation of existing networks and replacement of
collapsed, damaged or overloaded sections.
Expansion of sewer network to cover the entire town, where sewerage
partially exists.
Provision of treatment for untreated wastewater using appropriate
technology
Addressing the issues of the theft of manhole covers and dumping of
garbage through manholes, causing choking of sewers.
Encroachment of drains and unauthorized construction over the sewer
lines causing maintenance problems.
(108)
Lack of trained manpower for O&M of sewerage systems and STPs.
Lack of revenue from sanitation services (except for small earnings
from sale of effluent, manure or treated sewage for sewage farms, and
the small charge made in some towns – whether skewered or not – by
UJS).
2. Municipal Solid Waste Management
Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is an obligatory function of the
local governments. The total quantity of solid waste generated by the 63 urban centres
in Uttarakhand is estimated by the City Managers Association to be about 850
MT/day for an urban population currently estimated at 2.19 million (excluding the
400,000 or so who live in the cantonment areas). There is a wide variation in the
quantity of municipal solid waste generation in the towns of Uttarakhand, both in term
of per capita and town-wide contribution per capita contributions vary between about
0.2 kg/person/day in some hill towns to 0.5 kg/person/day in Dehradun. Town-wide
MSW generation is as low as 200 kg per day for some smaller towns, and as high as
200 MT per day for Dehradun. Such variation is due to the different characteristics of
the towns, their size, location and population.
The overall situation of the SWM system of almost all the towns is poor, and
none of them comply with GoI’s Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling)
Rules, of year 2000. There is practically no segregation of waste at source, and with
the exception of a few towns where primary collection of waste has been introduced
to cover a part of the town, the primary collection system is woefully inadequate or
absent. Municipal sweepers, and in some places private sweepers, are engaged for
street sweeping and primary collection of waste. They collect waste from road-side
bins and street sweepings and accumulate the collected waste into small heaps which
are subsequently loaded manually or mechanically onto the solid waste transportation
vehicles for onward transportation to the disposal site. The present collection and
transportation systems involve multiple handling of solid waste, and the sanitary
workers involved in collection and transportation of waste do not take any protective
measures and are thus exposed to high risk from health hazards associated with the
waste.
(109)
In most of the towns, the vehicles and equipment used for collection and
transportation of MSW (tractor trailers, open tricks or skip-hoist vehicles) are either
old or obsolete and are invariably inadequate and unsuited to the tasks. A significant
part of the waste generated is left unattended too due to poor management, and
inadequate and inappropriate vehicles, equipment and facilities. No scientific waste
processing and treatment facilities exist in any of the towns for safe disposal of the
MSW except in Dehradun where an attempt is made to dispose of the un-segregated
waste in preexcavated trenches followed by covering with a layer of soil. Solid waste
is generally disposed into open lands, streets, surface drains; hill slopes etc and
sometimes burnt in open causing health hazards, public nuisance and degradation of
environment and aesthetics. Much of the solid waste, whether uncollected or collected
and disposed of a dump sites, ends up in water courses and eventually rivers or lakes.
In all sector towns there is shortage of land for use as landfill site. In
Uttarakhand, there has been a established procedure for conversion of forest land for
non-forest uses as permitted by the GOI. In order to make optimum use of scarce
land, it is proposed to allocate the land on a cluster basis so that more than one town
can have the benefit of common landfill site, particularly for small and medium
towns. To further reduce the requirement of land area for solid waste disposal it is
proposed to adopt (i) segregation and (ii) compositing for biodegradable waste. Only
non biodegradable waste will be disposed to the landfill.
The collection efficiency of solid waste is dismal. Most of the ULBs lack
appropriate equipment, technical knowledge and managerial capacity to handle solid
waste. Other municipal SWM services like segregation of collected waste and timely
transportation and disposal to landfill site are absent. There is no separate solid waste
collection charge is levied. These will be taken care off in the sub-project design.
Private sector participation in SWM is limited to a role in the collection
system in some towns, including Dehradun. The GoU has encouraged community
participation in sold waste segregation and collection by forming Mahalla Swachhata
Samities (MSS) in a number of towns. These MSS are supposed to engage private
sweepers for door-to-door collection of segregated waste from different residential
areas (Mahallas). However, there is scant evidence of the success of this initiative,
and in many towns MSS have not been formed.
(110)
Separate SWM tariffs are not levied on residential, commercial or institutional
properties for the collection of solid waste, as these costs are considered to be covered
as part of the property tax paid. Only where: (i) sweepers are paid additional small
sums by householders (typically Rs 15 per month per household), or (ii) private sector
operators are collecting from some residential areas (Rs 30 per month per household),
are direct payments made for the service.
Hospital wastes and industrial wastes are generally separately handled and
thus do not at present pose a problem in municipal waste management. The UEPPCB
has engaged private sector operators who collect pathogenic and surgical bio-medical
hospital wastes for disposal through incineration at facilities operated in Haridwar
(serving Garhwal region) and Haldwani (serving Nainital region).
3. Storm Water Drainage, Erosion and Land-slip
The varied topography of the Uttarakhand state means that the nature of storm
water problems suffered by the towns is a function of their location. Flooding occurs
in the plain towns, although generally localized, short-lived and thus not sever due to
the generally favourable topography (gentle slopes and large rivers). By contrast, in
the hill towns (and particularly towns along the Yatra routes), problems relate to
uncontrolled runoff which causes substantial soil erosion which in turn creates the
danger of land slippage. In hill towns and foothill towns, run-off from hills which
have been over developed and/or denuded of vegetation brings with it large quantities
of silt and debris, causing severe problems as a result of rapid and frequent salutation
of drains within the main urban areas.
In both plain and hill towns, drainage problems (and potential public health
problems) are frequently caused by blockage of drainage lines and natural water
courses passing through towns as a result of their use as disposal sites for urban solid
waste. Furthermore, unauthorized construction, encroachment and the establishment
of slums along these watercourses severely restricts the capacities of drains and
waterways, frequently causing localized flooding and unsanitary conditions. Whether
sewerage exists or not, natural drainage courses receive a substantial quantum of
urban sewage due to: (i) absence of sewage treatment; (ii) illicit disposal of sewage,
(iii) illegal construction of settlements along drainage channels; and (iv) discharge of
(111)
effluent from malfunctioning or overloaded septic tanks into the surface-water
drainage network.
Summary findings from field studies indicate:
Storm water drains carry a mix of sewage and solid waste in almost all towns.
Steep slopes and naked catchments areas create ideal conditions for land
erosion during high intensity rainfall.
Encroachment of drains and properties constructed on drains cause
constriction of cross section, pollution of surface-water and serious
maintenance problem.
Multiplicity of agencies engaged in cleaning and maintenance creates
confusion about service delivery responsibilities.
4. Roads, Footpaths, Traffic Management and Public
Transport
Most urban areas within the state are relatively well connected with other parts
of the state, and adjacent states such as Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana,
Delhi and Punjab through the national and state road network. Although many of
town in the hilly and mountainous districts of the state are remote, all are connected
via the state road network, and major towns are located along national highways. By
contrast, the state is not well served by other transport modes. It has only one
commercial airport, serving the towns around Dehradun, Rishikesh and Haridwar, and
rail access which, in view of steep topography, is limited to towns in the plains and
foothills. There is only limited integration between rail- and road-based freight
movement facilities, which will become increasingly important as the new industrial
centres being developed close to Dehradun, Haridwar, Rudrapur and Pantnagar
become established.
Various types of road and traffic problems exist to a varying degree in all
sector towns. Rapid growth in both motorized two-wheelers and four-wheelers6 of
over 10% per annum is placing increasing strain on the existing restricted urban road
(112)
networks. Heavy traffic on narrow streets combined with lack of pedestrian facilities
and numerous conflicts delays travel time and places road users – and particularly
vulnerable road users (pedestrians and two-wheeler users) at risk. In most small
towns, particularly hill towns, all routes lead to central chowks or small squares where
congestion is compounded by uncontrolled stopping and parking of buses, taxis and
goods vehicles. Few towns have either transport terminals or radial routes to direct
by-passing traffic away from town centres. In many towns, the streets within the built-
up core of the town cannot be widened without destroying large areas of the built
environment, so solutions must be found in terms of better use of road space,
improved traffic management, one way systems, and where possible, construction of
new roads and transport terminals.
Traffic management is often poor at major junctions, and even where adequate
road space exists, poor use of this space adds to, rather than solves, traffic
management problems. Pedestrian facilities are particularly poor, with a frequent lack
of footpaths forcing pedestrians to compete for road space with vehicular traffic.
Parking is indiscriminate, taking up road space and, where there are pedestrian
footpaths, occupying these. In addition, many roads are poorly lit presenting issues of
road safety and personal security, particularly for women. In the hill towns many
dwellings are not accessible by vehicles and footpath access is poor and unlit.
Urban traffic and transport suffers overlapping responsibilities between the
state public works department (PWD) and the ULBs for maintenance of roads within
towns. Generally PWD roads are maintained by the PWD, and others are maintained
by the ULBs, but in some smaller towns, all roads are maintained by the PWD.
The problems can be summarized as follows.
Congestion and encroachment of roads18.
Inefficient and inadequate Intermediate Public Transport
Inadequate parking and terminal facilities.
Inadequate pedestrian facilities and safety for road users.
Inadequate traffic engineering and management
(113)
Inadequate maintenance of roads.
Poor street lighting
5. Open Spaces, Public Facilities and Cultural Heritage
Many of the towns of Uttarakhand are distinct in character primarily due to
their historical background, built heritage and cultural heritage, in addition to their
distinctive hilly topography and pristine surroundings. Some of these towns have
references to Hindu mythology and the citizens have kept the traditions alive in the
form of religious fairs, festivals and cultural events organized throughout the year.
The inherent character of the town is manifested in the physical urban form,
especially in the old city areas. Some of the prime examples are Jhanda Chowk in
Dehradun, Har-Ki-Pauri in Haridwar, Thandi Sadak and Bazaars of Tallital and
Mallital in Nainital, etc. The present form of these areas is predominantly found to be
congested with high density development, mixed land use, narrow streets,
deteriorating infrastructure and traffic congestion during peak hours.
Development of chowks (circles and squares), other open spaces and
traditional bazaars in old town areas and conservation of heritage structures such as
temple complexes, havelis, water tanks, churches, etc will be crucial in restoring the
unique historicity and prevailing cultural heritage in the town. Heritage conservation
and measures for decongestion in old city areas by encouraging dedicated pedestrian
routes, upgrading of environmental services, effective traffic management and
development of proper parking spaces will improve the quality of life of its citizens.
Redevelopment in old city areas should ensure that the organic growth characteristics
of the area are retained along with development of additional community facilities.
Adoption of area-specific model architectural designs using local materials which
respect the natural surroundings and the character of the town will promote
sustainable technologies and enhance urban aesthetics.
The strong need for more accessible open space and places for recreation,
walking and adhering together was a frequently-expressed demand in many of the
program towns. The absence of suitable places to meet, recreate and engage in sports
activities, and absence of public gardens, was particularly emphasized by stakeholders
(114)
in many town discussions. Some towns are very constrained for space, but many
program towns have some type of recreational asset – a river or smaller watercourse,
central plaza or lake in the case of Nainital and all can be developed to provide
recreational open space for use of both indigenous population and tourists. Constraints
to this are; (i) absence of clear ideas on how open spaces can be imaginatively
developed; (ii) shortage of development funding; and (iii) the fragmented ownership
of many of these open spaces. Rapid urban development in Dehradun has led to
encroachment on orchards and open green areas while in Haridwar, although there are
large open areas, most of the open area is undeveloped for public use. Haridwar
Master Plan has highlighted lack of parks and recreational facilities as one of the key
planning issues. In tourist towns such as Nainital, conservation of lake and
development of Lake Front and green areas for public use will enhance the tourism
potential of the town.
Tourist towns and towns falling on Yatra Route lack provision of adequate
public facilities such as separate parking areas for light and heavy vehicles, bus
terminus and community facilities such as toilets, drinking water stand posts, tourist
information centres etc. These facilities are required to cater to the needs of
indigenous populations and increasing tourists and pilgrims alike. Public Private
Partnership (PPP) arrangements could be explored for development of such public
facilities which have the potential for cost recovery.
Urban Environmental Conditions
Unplanned development, together with rapid urban growth and the inflow of
tourists and pilgrims has made critical impacts on the urban environment of
Uttarakhand. Most of the towns in Uttarakhand have grown in an unplanned manner
causing immense pressure on the urban infrastructure and services resulting in
degradation of the urban environment and of natural resources. Major environmental
concerns associated with such unplanned urban development are depletion of forest
area, loss of bio-diversity, potential urban pollution in the form of air, water, noise,
solid and liquid waste discharges and landslide. Some of the major rivers which are
the sources drinking water and irrigation for the Uttarakhand, as well as being of
religious significance are silted and polluted due to the unplanned urban development
(115)
and industrial activities. These rivers also act as major drainage outlets for the towns,
and are often used as a convenient means of solid waste disposal. Lakes and water
bodies which are also attraction for tourists are polluted due to uncontrolled discharge
of wastewater and disposal of solid wastes.
According to the National Forest Policy, 1988, hill states should have a
minimum of two-thirds area under forest cover to prevent erosion and land
degradation and to ensure the stability of the fragile eco-systems. However, the state
has about 65% forest cover, which falls below the minimum requirement. It is
reported that about 80% of the households in urban towns have access to piped water
supply, but sewerage systems cover only 40% and sewage treatment plants only 20%.
In the smaller towns, sanitation systems relying on septic tanks predominate, and
these are frequently old, not properly maintained, and discharge to surface water
drains causing significant levels of ground and surface water contamination. There are
only three Information about Software Technology Parks (STPs) functioning in the
state, and in general, wastewater in is discharged untreated to watercourses resulting
in surface water pollution. A study of drinking water quality in major Indian cities
suggests that there is ammonia contamination in the drinking water and ground water
in Dehradun and Ranikhet. Ammonia contamination in drinking water points to the
possibility of sewage contamination or mixing of high organic content waste streams
into potable water sources.
Air and noise pollution is increasing with the rapid increase of vehicular traffic
in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Rudrapur, Haldwani, Kashipur, Roorkee and Dehradun. No
regular monitoring of air quality and level of noise pollution is conducted for these
towns except Dehradun where the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM)
and Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) levels in air are found to regularly exceed
the national permissible limits (Refer to Dehradun City Report). 91. All the towns in
Uttarakhand fail to comply with the Master of Social Work (MSW) (Management &
Handling) Rules, 2000 in all aspects of Self Wiped Male (SWM) i.e. Collection,
Storage, Transportation, Processing, and Disposal. The Uttarakhand Environment
Protection and Pollution Control Board Uttarakhand Environment Protection and
Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) is mainly responsible for advising the state
government in environmental pollution related issues and monitoring of
(116)
environmental pollution of the state. In addition to its head office at Dehradun,
UEPPCB has established two regional offices at Haldwani and Dehradun to regulate
environmental issues. In order to comply with the “Bio-medical Waste (Management
& Handling) Rules, 1998” of Ministry of Environment and forest (MoEF), the GoI
UEPPCB has authorized private agencies for collection of bio-medical wastes
generated in the medical establishments of Kumaun and Garhwal regions and
transport of the waste to Sushila Memorial Hospital, Haldwani and BHEL Hospital,
Haridwar respectively for processing and treatment through incineration.
Major industries, many of which are responsible for considerable air and
surface water pollution, are largely located outside municipal limits. The industrial
estates are responsible for their own pollution control measures, and are monitored by
UEPPCB.
(117)
CHAPTER SIX REMEDIES AND SUGGESTIONS
(118)
Chapter-VI
Remedies and Suggestions
Introduction
By 2020 more than 50% India's population is expected to live in urban areas,
thus the age old image of India as a rural nation will be a matter of the past. This
picture is compounded by a rapid concentration process of population in large towns,
cities and metropolitan areas, and it is projected that in year 2015 India will already
have some 49 metropolitan cities. Presently cities are booming, with internal growth
and migration putting a colossal pressure on the state and local governments alike. It
is obvious that without dramatic changes in urban development and attention to urban
development problems, the whole country is likely to be affected by a decline in
public health, sanitation and environmental conditions. At the same time, rural
development efforts need to be enhanced to stop the rapid impoverishment of certain
strata of the rural population which sees rural to urban migration as the only escape
route.
At the same time, India's urban future poses an unprecedented challenge for
planners and city managers. As the country enters an era of economic growth,
economic liberalization and prosperity, the cities seem not yet ready to accommodate
the growing population, to provide work and services and environmental
infrastructure for all, and access to critical inputs of land, affordable finance, and
construction technologies need to be resolved. In particular infrastructure for
economic growth is lacking very badly while India can not afford to embark on this
road to economic growth and liberalization while her cities remain in squalor, quality
of urban life declines, and a permanent sanitation and environmental crisis hampers
the economic development efforts. The absolute growth of urban poverty and the
critical deficiencies of service put the success of the economic liberalization at risk.
Recent insights of policy makers and development managers, however, support the
view that urban centres function as generators for economic growth, which can be
better tapped if cities are managed more effectively.
(119)
What has become more clear and articulate in this process is, that cities will be
the backbone of the economic expansion which is expected. In 1991, the share of
urban areas in the total national economic income has been estimated at 55% while
the total urban population accounted for some 27%. At the same time urban per capita
incomes are 3 times higher than rural per capita incomes. If the economic expansion
in India's cities is to be made sustainable, and its benefits are to be shared equitably,
this requires that urban poverty is being brought down drastically, and that efficient
urban management is established not only in the metropolitan cities but also in the
small and medium sized towns.
Any strategies to bring Municipality out of its present crisis will have to define
in a more responsive and clear manner the roles and responsibilities of the various
urban actors and stakeholders, such as government, i.e. public sector organizations,
private commercial sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community
based organizations (CBOs) and the community itself. The aim would be to develop
improved coordination in urban management and in the development of urban
development schemes. This would apply for need assessment, formulation of
development plans, budgeting and mobilization of resources, implementation and
monitoring, operation and maintenance, as well as for the establishment of
information management systems. Improved municipal management practices will
require substantial efforts of institutional improvements, and addressing inter-sectoral
coordination and integration. At the city level, it will be necessary to think about
strengthening of the existing institution and to form viable, and strong alliances
between institutions and urban stakeholders. This may take the forms of 'urban flora'
or 'urban development task forces'.
The Uttarakhand Urban Sector Development (Sector Program) Project
(UUSDP) is intended to support the Government’s policy for socio-economic
development of the regions through the promotion of development in the largest, most
strategically important and best managed towns in Uttarakhand. The research
observation suggests support improvement in urban infrastructure and services in
towns, with the ultimate objective of: (i) supporting GoI's policy for focusing
development on states with special category status; (ii) supporting local economic
growth, in accordance with the state policy for socio-economic development of the
(120)
regions; (ii) contributing to poverty reduction and environmental improvement in the
project towns; and (iii) enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of urban planning,
development, governance and management in the program towns.
In the urban sector in India shows that successful implementation of inherently
complex urban sector projects demands: (i) close coordination between the multiple
agencies (government executing agencies and concerned local institutions) involved;
(ii) developing enhanced institutional capacities among these agencies; and (iii)
generating public support for program interventions through active involvement of
stakeholders. Experience suggests that urban projects and programs also need to
anticipate: (i) delays in project implementation, especially during project start-up, and
(ii) problems in achieving sustainability of project assets.
Delays in the execution of urban projects and programs are common. Average
project completion time for ADB urban sector projects in India is 8 years, based on
the age and extended loan closing dates of on GoI's projects. Delays in project
implementation are caused by a variety of factors, frequently including: (i) delays in
land acquisition; (ii) the slow pace of project-related approvals at various levels of
government; (iii) lack of timeliness and adequacy in the release of counterpart funds;
and (iv) delays in selection of management and implementation-support consultants.
Land acquisition and statutory clearances from central and state agencies such as
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Pollution Control Boards, Railways
and Forest Department can take years, and these delays need to be factored in at the
design stage. Furthermore, wherever possible, land ownership and acquisition issues
should be avoided through concentrating public services on existing Government land
holdings.
Region-specific lessons which may be of relevance in Uttarakhand can be
drawn from the experience of the ADB and other donors who have implemented
projects and programs in the state or other hilly and relatively remote states. These
highlight issues of the low level capacities of executing and implementing agencies,
difficult terrain, and lack of connectivity, all of which lead to implementation delays,
supply constraints, and higher unit costs than those applicable in plain areas. The
lessons suggest the need to: (i) provide for intensive up-front capacity building, and
(121)
(ii) allow for local unit costs and longer periods for project implementation, including
construction.
A further lesson learned from the ongoing rural water supply schemes in the
state that reveals significant un-sustainability of the water sources in the hilly region.
90% of the land area of Uttarakhand is hills having critical problems of water sources.
There are 39,967 identified rural habitations most of which are in the hills where
piped water availability is less than 40 litres per capita per day if not nil. Apart from
the sources often getting dry, there are large disputes on their ownership. Such
disputes often lead the authority to go for uneconomic sources at longer distance or
incurring high cost in pumping. There are cases where in a multi-village water supply
scheme fed by a single source the upstream village taps more water leaving
insufficient quantity for the downstream village. Many of the program towns belong
to hills and may encounter with similar problems. Care has been taken therefore to
adopt water supply schemes for these towns with independent source and
transmission mains.
Decentralization Initiatives
The 74th Constitutional Amendment factually placed greater responsibilities
and urban management tasks in the hands of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) or
municipalities. The tasks involve town planning, land use planning, socio-economic
development planning, poverty alleviation programmes, development of roads and
bridges, water supply, sanitation and solid waste, and the provision of various other
services and amenities. These new municipal tasks are certainly a tall order for many
urban local bodies, and one has to wonder how long it may take to fulfill the objective
of 'municipal empowerment'. It may also be queried how long it will take to overcome
the present chaos, fragmentation and lack of coordination among municipal bodies,
urban development authorities and the newly introduced district (or municipal)
planning committees. A certain vagueness imbedded in the Nagarpalika Act identifies
the many municipal tasks as 'discretionary' instead of 'mandatory'. This adds to certain
doubt about the strength of this legislation. Lack of funds for the execution of all the
municipal task mentioned in the Nagarpalika Act are an obvious constraint for the
implementation of the Nagarpalika Act, and this is complicated by the absence of
(122)
direct control over revenues and weaknesses of existing property tax collection
systems and the absence of octopi (which have recently been abolished). The
expected further dependence on Central Government subsidies, raise also doubts
regarding the actual devolution of powers. This compels municipalities to seek
constantly for additional funds and new revenue possibilities. However, on the
positive side it also will stimulate creative measures towards the regular application or
user fees for urban services, and the incorporation of the private sector for service
provision through public-private partnerships.
The Nagarpalika Act and its decentralization initiatives come at a time that the
new economic policies demand improved capabilities for urban and financial
management at local levels of government, supported by state and central level
institutions. The decentralization of urban management also calls for new roles and
the involvement of the private sector, non-urban management also calls for new roles
and the involvement of the private sector, non- governmental organizations (NGOs)
and the community at large. Municipal administrations will not only benefit from a
participatory approach and the active involvement of these urban stakeholders, but
have no better alternative to pro-active partnerships with these urban actors. A
dialogue with the private sector, non-governmental and community-based
organizations (NGOs/CBOs), and the community will enable the mobilization of far
greater resources for urban investments and help in managing the cities is a better
way. This suggests that urban management needs to acquire a pro-active approach in
which urban stakeholders are brought together in an 'urban forum; which charts out
development efforts and actions plans. And one would hope that one day cities can be
managed in a much more enterprising and dynamic manner than it is done today. The
vision of more enterprising cities is paired with a plea for more commercialization of
urban services provision. It can very well be argued that a large majority of the
citizens are willing and capable to pay for a regular supply of quality services. This
would imply to roll back the welfare approach of widely subsidized urban services
towards a market approach, and to complement this well targeted subsidies for the
most needy. The Nagarpalika Act also has a very interesting spin of through the
promotion of 30% women participation among the elected members. There is an
ample reason to believe that this will stimulate a much more through participation of
(123)
the community, and better targeting of development programmes which are meant for
the community.
Ultimately, the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) or municipalities will be required
to improve and strengthen their governance, for which they are very badly lacking
capacity, skills and legal basis. Their roles at the same time are becoming more
complex and wide-ranging in response to new approaches in service provision,
public-private partnerships, public participation in decision making, collaboration
with NGOs, and the environmental and urban poverty concerns.
Search for Alternatives
It is obvious that in this context the work of developing and managing
infrastructure given the available resources, augmenting the resources to develop the
urban areas further and to improve the living conditions, managing the assets, are very
difficult tasks. Local authorities are required to carry out a host of tasks for which
they are insufficiently equipped, and for which they do not possess the financial and
managerial resources. And in terms of required financial resources an enormous
investment requirement does exist. Some sources have estimated it at Rs. 120,000 to
meet the needs of urban dwellers for urban infrastructure. Most of it for the supply of
drinking water, sanitation, construction of roads, and the introduction of rapid mass
transport systems (for metropolitan cities). For a successful urban infrastructure
strategy it has to be kept in mind that each service sector should be treated as much
below the affordability limit. No affordability problems therefore are foreseen for the
proposed tariff charges. However, the State must allow the implementing agencies–
UJS, ULB– to revise local taxes, fees and charges regularly in accordance with
prescribed procedures and within limits set by law to make them less reliant on state
subsidies. With minor tariff adjustments, supported by the state operational subsidy
on a declining basis, the sample sub-projects are financially viable.
(124)
Social Impact Assessments
The program is in accordance with the national policy of poverty alleviation as
given in National Slum Policy towards provision of urban basic services and aimed at
bringing 100% coverage of slum population and poverty pockets by the end of
program implementation period. The program also supports GoU in formulating a
State Slum Policy for Uttaranchal.
The social and poverty impact of the project has been assessed in terms of the
benefits and costs for all groups of population in the program towns, arising from
coverage, levels of service supply, supply mechanisms, pricing, implementation and
operational arrangements. All groups of the beneficiary population has been
considered and differentiated according to income, poverty, vulnerability and gender.
It is concluded that (a) the Project will have a positive contribution towards poverty
reduction in diverse ways. (b) Integration of poor settlements will be achieved under
the Project directly through the provision of basic services and primary and secondary
infrastructure in the towns and direct linking of the poor settlements to the city-wide
services and infrastructure; and indirectly through a pro-poor action-planning process
that will build capacity of both the implementers and the beneficiaries. (c) tariff
changes and increased cost towards water and sewer charges will be within affordable
limit with some subsidy to BPL households.
There is no resettlement required in Trenched I sub-projects and other sub-
projects. However, if there is unavoidable need for involuntary resettlement involved
in subprojects in future trenches, this will be addressed according to the Resettlement
Framework. Some temporary resettlement is involved among street vendors and the
like, who carry out their businesses along roads. Short Resettlement Plans are
prepared and there are provisions to meet the cost of such temporary resettlements
according to relevant ADB guidelines. Similarly, there are no Indigenous People
involved as per appraisals carried out. During implementation, if any IP group is
found as affected persons, this would be addressed according to the IPDF.
(125)
Environmental Impact Assessments
Although the basic aim of the UUSDP is to improve the quality of
environment and living conditions, the development of infrastructure facilities may
potentially cause certain negative environmental impacts. Thus, sample sub-projects
were identified to conduct the environmental assessment and identify mitigation
measures. Owing to scale and nature, most of the sub-projects proposed under
UUSDP are likely to have minimal impacts. Based on the IEEs for sample sub-
projects covering all Trenches 1 sub-projects and other representative sub-projects
covering the entire UUSDP, the program is categorized as sensitive. It is therefore
recommended that at the stage of detailed design, the environmental cell of PMU will
conduct environmental assessment and obtain approval from the PMU. The approved
appraisal will be submitted to ADB for review and approval.
(126)
CHAPTER-SEVEN CONCLUSION
(127)
Chapter-VII
Conclusion
Despite the fast growth of the urban sector, India does not yet have an urban
development policy (as it has a national housing policy). Despite the fact that the
Town and Country Planning Organization (TCPO) has prepared a (draft) policy paper
on National Urbanization (NCU) has analyzed in its very profound reports of 1988 the
urban development scenario, not many of the major suggestions have been brought
forward it implementation. What has been stressed by such policy proposals is the
need for (a) the evolution of a spatial pattern of economic development and
hierarchies of human settlements, (b) an optimum distribution of population between
rural and urban settlements, and among towns and cities of various sizes, (c)
distribution of economic activities in small and medium-sized growth centres, (d)
dispersal of economic activities through the establishment of counter-magnets in the
region, and (e) provision of minimum levels of services in urban and rural areas
(Bhattacharya, 1975). The NCU has further stressed the linkage between urbanization
and economic development and proposed to select 329 cities upon their potential to
generate economic momentum as Generators of Economic Momentum (GEMs); these
were further classified 77 National Priority Cities and 252 State Priority Cities. This
organizational hierarchy was complemented by some 19 Spatial Priority Urban
Regions (SPURs) which were identified with the intention to increase economic
opportunities. (National Commission of Urbanization, 1988).
For most of the time since Independence, market forces have dictated the
terms for urban development policies, and economic forces-instead of urban policy
makers and planners- took charge of the urban process (Ganeshwar, 1995).
Concentrated industrial development in and around large cities has been making
things worse for decentralized and more balanced spatial development. What has been
making things even worse, generally speaking, was fact that urban development has
been low on the development agenda with only 3-4% of the total Plan outlay being
allocated to the urban sector. The NCU recommended in 1988 that at least some 8%
of the Plan outlay should be dedicated to the urban sector. Instead, urban development
has often even been approached as a negative phenomenon. Recent insights, however,
(128)
support the view that urban centres function as generators for economic growth which
can be better tapped if cities are managed more effectively. Cities can also be major
centres of progress in terms of education, better health services, etc. There is a
continued need for re-distributive policies in order to contain deprivation of the poor
amidst the urban boom and sprawl. Great emphasis is required on development of
available land and infrastructure. A fresh review is needed on the validity of the main
recommendations of the NCU for today's situation, leading to the conclusion that
India's policy makers in the urban sector need to take a number of bold decisions in
the near future to shape an implementable urban policy which can guarantee urban
development which is capable of managing the urban growth, while improving living
standards and reducing poverty in a manner that is economically and ecologically
sustainable. Recently, the Ministry of Urban Development together with the Planning
Commission has started an initiative to prepare a National Urban Perspective and
Policy which tries to reflect state priorities and to respond to these issues (Ministry of
Urban Development and Planning Commission, 1994). However, the outcome of this
initiative is yet to be awaited.
The potential role that urban areas can play in the state’s development is
significantly constrained by deficiencies in basic urban infrastructure and services and
the way in which they are financed and managed. Despite generally plentiful supplies
of water available in the state, the poor management of these resources and of the
inadequate water supply networks which do exist means that few consider that they
have a satisfactory supply. In the household survey conducted in July 2006 as part of
GoUs project preparation, almost 80% of responders put water supply at the top of
their list of problems. In many areas, consumers prefer to use water from their own
shallow wells than rely on the supply provided by the state water company
(Uttarakhand Jan Sansthan). Dug wells are cheaper and more reliable than a piped
household connection, and no charges or royalties are levied on private wells.
However, this is likely to become a public heath issue in future in many parts of the
state as the shallow surface aquifer becomes increasingly contaminated. Of those
connected to piped networks, service level is poor, with water generally available for
only 2-4 hours per day, (unless fortunate enough to be at lower points on the system).
There is thus an urgent need to improve the coverage and service quality of potable
water supply in the urban sector.
(129)
While the state needs to increasingly rely on its pristine environmental
conditions to support the tourism-led economy, environmental conditions, particularly
in and around the major urban areas, are declining rapidly. With less than 40% of the
urban population served by a sewerage network, most wastewater is co-disposed with
storm water and thence into natural watercourses or water bodies which it pollutes.
Even where sewerage is provided, less than half the sewage is treated prior to its
disposal to surface water bodies. The situation is aggravated during tourist season,
when in some towns e.g., Haridwar, Nainital and towns situated on Yatra (pilgrim)
route, the tourists far outnumber resident population, generating high quantum of
wastewater, which generally go untreated and into water bodies. Some of these are
subsequently used in the downstream locations as sources of drinking water, creating
potentially serious public health problems. There are 15 towns located along major
rivers like Ganga, Alaknanda, Yamuna and Bhagirathi etc., where this problem needs
an early solution. In addition, discharge of raw wastewater, or even contaminated
storm water to sensitive water bodies is threatening the fragile ecosystems of many of
the state’s lakes. The high nutrient levels resulting from pollution are bringing the
lakes to eutrophication, which unless arrested could cause anaerobic conditions with
the resultant environmental damage, nuisance and negative impact on tourism. If
public health is to be protected and its position as a developing destination for high-
end tourism is to be preserved, the state must invest heavily in wastewater
management and pollution prevention.
Further surface water and environmental pollution is caused by uncollected or
collected but inadequately disposed of, solid waste. It is estimated that less than 50%
of solid waste generated is collected, and none of that which is collected is disposed
of into sanitary landfills (although some is buried in Dehradun). Most solid waste
finds its way into natural watercourses which it pollutes, and which eventually wash
much of the lighter waste– particularly plastics- from upland catchments down to
major rivers (Such as the Ganga). The problems of waste collection and disposal are
compounded during the tourist season when the quantum of solid waste increases
significantly, straining the already limited capacities in solid waste management.
Solid waste management problems must be resolved if environmental degradation is
to be reversed.
(130)
Storm water drainage is often inadequate, and where it does exist, is frequently
blocked with silt and solid matter. The hilly terrain in many towns means that in the
absence of an effective storm water drainage system, frequent hill torrents and flash
floods cause severe erosion and subsequent landslip risk and damage to horizontal
infrastructure and property. Adequate, appropriate and well maintained storm water
drainage needs to be provided where such problems occur.
The urban road networks are generally in a poor condition and are not
designed for the traffic loadings and mix which they are currently forced to carry.
Congestion on narrow urban roads and frequent traffic conflicts contribute both to air
pollution and to risks to public safety, particularly for more vulnerable road users–
pedestrians, cyclist and motor cyclists. Uncontrolled parking further limits road space
and thus adds to the congestion. In many town inadequate facilities for buses and
trucks inevitably leads to inappropriate parking of heavy vehicles which further
exacerbates the traffic management problems. The increased traffic during tourist
season and religious occasions and festivals often leads to serious congestion and
acute parking problems in tourist towns and Yatra towns. Interventions are required
on a priority basis to not only support the tourism activities but also to restore order
and normal movement of the resident population of these towns. Traffic volumes have
doubled over the past 10 years, and are projected to do so over the next 10 years, with
the vast majority of vehicles continuing to comprise two wheelers. There is thus an
urgent need to: (i) ensure that traffic which wishes to bypass towns can do so, (ii)
rationalize existing road works and traffic patterns, widening routes where practicable
and necessary, but without destroying the existing urban fabric, (iii) provide adequate
and safe parking facilities and (iv) taking steps to provide facilities to protect
pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
(131)
References
1. Figure based on project socio-economic survey of over 2,000 in five program
towns.
TA – IND 38272 Uttaranchal Urban Development Project Revised Draft Final
Report
Main Report Page 36
TA – IND 38272 Uttaranchal Urban Development Project Revised Draft Final
Report
Main Report Page 37
(132)
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APPENDIX
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APPENDIX (A) The further sporting data of Uttarakhand Municipal Bodies are from table 1–23
Table– 1
Income and Expenditure of Dehradun Municipal Corporation
Income (in rupees)
Year Particular
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01
Primary (total income
(in rupees)
60207400 68607571 106289686 122605293 162641352
Income .... 1. Grah Tax 15910673 13766286 15879822 20930242 23537570
2. Land rent 482276 1286817 1819728 596065 1062473
3. State Financial Ayog
Income
- - 72929301 60404903 92435100
4. ..income 1458015 3433043 874960 2542339 2552674
5. 10th financial anudan
ayog
- 2869300 2869300 5738600 -
6. Income from stamp
shulka
- - - 12605293 3713048
7. Admission fee 60207400 1050622 - - -
Particular expanses
Total expanses (inRs.)
1. Main office
Adhishthan
2051572 2296287 3199525 3999969 4497893
2. Central account and
Cash Department
648488 680436 800294 879076 992932
3. Assets Tax 2149367 2205872 3030393 3199224 3293934
4. Cleaning Adhishthan 25386461 29468465 34576131 38599999 46999151
5.Workshop 623855 735813 9643393 1147604 1498945
6. Aushadhalaya
Adhishthan
1920424 1743542 2352179 2989148 3360804
7. Cleaning Inspection
Adhishthan
800000 830178 936536 870595 1110717
Source : Municipal Corporation Dehradun
(140)
Table - 2
Income-Expenditure of Rishikesh Nagar Palika Parishad
Year Particular
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01
Total Income
(in Rupees)
31628493 21934254 21592354 18753095
Selected item
of income
1. House tax
1493086
2048917
2905094
4104439
2. Traveling
registration
326535 374524 373956 458083
3. Rent 320631 407567 344250 249687
4. Tah Market 425703 607567 777272 753454
5. Interest of
Viniyojan
408937 230974 547209 213175
State Finance
Source : Nagar Palika Parishad Rishikesh
(141)
Table-3
Literacy Data of Uttarkashi Municipal Board
Tehsil Urban/Rural Population Literacy (number)
Total Male Female Total Male Female
Total 62840 32314 30526 29921 20042 9879
Rural 62840 32314 30526 29921 20042 9879
Urban - - - - - -
Total 62150 32079 30071 32510 21696 10814
Rural 56052 28641 27411 28029 18883 9146
Urban 6098 3438 2660 4481 2813 1668
Total 99753 49420 50333 54588 35540 19048
Rural 99753 49420 50333 54588 35540 19048
Urban - - - - - -
Total 69436 37786 31650 46482 29738 16744
Rural 52610 27953 24657 33249 21493 11756
Urban 16826 9833 6993 13233 8245 4988
Total 294179 151599 142580 163501 107016 56485
Rural 271255 138328 132927 145787 95958 49829
Urban 22924 13271 9653 17714 11058 6656
Source – Jangarna- 2001 (Final)
(142)
Table-4
Literacy Data of Uttarkashi Municipal Board
S.
No.
Urban/Urban area Caste of
Municipal
Corporation
Population
(2001)
Literacy (%)
1. Uttarkashi NagarPalika
Parishad
16220 88.21
2. Badkot Nagar
Panchayat
6098 85.24
3. Gangotri Nagar
Panchayat
606 88.94
Source : Municipal Board of Uttarkashi
(143)
Table-5
Income and Expenditure Uttarkashi Municipal Board
Year Income (Rupees) Expanses (rupees)
1996-97 525397.00 536435.00
1997-98 2196578.00 2347346.00
1998-99 1170448.00 1187007.00
199-00 2411672.00 2449161.00
2000-01 3583404 3092019.00
Source : Municipal Board of Uttarakashi
(144)
Table-6
Literacy Data of Nagar-Nikay in Chamoli
Rural/Urban Population 2001 Literacy number Tehsil/Total
Total Male Female Total Male Female
Total 38702 21539 17163 26659 17008 9651
Rural 24659 13003 11656 15791 9846 5945
Joshimath
Urban 14043 8536 5507 10868 7162 3706
Total 92729 47476 45253 60080 35134 24946
Rural 71441 35546 35895 43071 25021 18050
Chamoli
Urban 21288 11930 9368 17009 10131 6896
Total 35425 16732 18693 23601 12990 10611
Rural 35425 16732 18693 23601 12990 10611
Pokhari
Urban - - - - - -
Total 55088 27307 27781 38681 21912 16769
Rural 40834 19201 21633 27490 15182 12308
Karn Prayag
Urban 14254 8106 6148 11191 6730 4461
Total 88221 42279 45942 55757 31989 23768
Rural 88221 42279 45942 55757 31989 23768
Tharali
Urban - - - - - -
Total 59033 27700 31333 34999 20094 14905
Rural 59033 27700 31333 34999 20094 14905
Gairsain
Urban - - - - - -
Total 369198 183033 186165 239777 139127 100650
Rural 319613 154461 165152 200709 115122 85587
Total
Urban 49585 28572 21013 39068 24005 15063
Source – Jangarna-2001 (Final)
(145)
Table-7
Caste Reservation of Chamoli Nagar Nikay
S. No. Number of Class Name of Class Caste of reservation
1. 07 Paduli-Papariyana Schedule caste (Female)
2. 06 Newar Schedule Tribe (Female)
3. 08 Kothiyal Sen Female
4. 09 Chanoli-area Unreserved
5. 05 Shivaji-Subhashnagar Unreserved
6. 03 Upper Bazar Unreserved
7. 02 Kund Unreserved
8. 04 Lower Bazar Unreserved
9. 01 Gopeshwar-Gangol
Gaon
Unreserved
(146)
Table-8
Income – Expenditure of Chamoli Nagar Nikay
Year (Income (Rupees) Expenditure (Rupees)
1996-97 317000.00 264000.00
1997-98 47000.00 280000.00
1998-99 331000.00 273000.00
199-00 553000.00 508000.00
2000-01 424000.00 716000
Source- Atlas (2000-01) Nagar Panchayat, Nand Prayag
(147)
Table-9
Caste Reservation of Chamoli Nagar Nikay
S.No. Number of Class Name of Class Caste of Reservation
1. 01 Muniyali Schedule Caste (Male)
2. 02 Bagar Shakuntala Male
3. 03 Upper Bazar Unreserved
4. 04 Chandika Mohalla Unreserved
Source- Atlas (2000-01) Nagar Panchayat, Nand Prayag
(148)
Table-10
Caste Reservation of Chamoli's Nagar Nikay
S.No. Name From To
1. Sri Bhola Datt Bhatt 4-11-1929 22-11-1929
2. Sri Tara Datt Gerola 23-11-1929 13-09-1933
3. Sri Bhaskaranand Methani 14-09-1933 25-12-1955
4. Sri Khushal Singh Rangar
(Nominated)
01-04-1960 29-06-1960
5. Sri Bhashkaranand Methani 30-06-1960 15-12-1967
6. Sri Nityanand Methani 16-12-1967 16-08-1968
7. Sri Bhashkaranand Methani 17-08-1968 02-10-1968
8. Sri Jai Dayal Agarwal 29-06-1971 15-05-1977
9. Sri Mohan Lal Jain 29-11-1988 18-01-1994
10. Sri Mohan Lal Jain 03-03-1997 March 2002
(149)
Table-11
Literacy Data Nagar-Nikay in Garhwal Region
Rural/
Urban
Population 2001 Literacy number S.
No.
Tehsil/
Total
Total Male Female Total Male Female
Total 49875 25757 24118 38025 21447 16578
Rural 30014 14437 15577 21523 11709 9814
1. Srinagar
Urban 19861 11320 8541 16502 9738 6764
Total 145852 67660 78192 98857 53022 45835
Rural 120516 54102 66414 78536 41632 36904
2. Pauri
Urban 25336 13558 11778 20321 11390 8931
Total 93602 42548 51054 52947 29870 23127
Rural 93602 42548 51054 52947 29870 23127
3. Thalisain
Urban - - - - - -
Total 44134 19966 24168 27504 14906 12598
Rural 44134 19966 24168 27504 14906 12598
4. Dhumakot
Urban - - - - - -
Total 169488 78806 90682 113094 61866 51228
Rural 161586 73758 87828 106265 57283 48982
5. Lansdown
Urban 7902 5048 2854 6829 4583 2246
Total 193900 96401 97499 136016 74898 61118
Rural 156777 76770 80007 109160 59896 49264
6. Kotdwar
Urban 37123 19631 17492 26856 15002 11854
Total 696851 331138 365713 466443 255959 210484
Rural 606629 281581 325048 395935 215246 180689
Total
Urban 90222 49557 40665 70508 40713 29795
Source- Jangarna- 2001 (Final)
(150)
Table-12
Literacy Data of Garhwal Nagar Nikay
S.No. Urban Area Caste of Nagar Nikay Population
(2001)
Literacy (%)
1. Srinagar Nagarpalika Parishad 19861 91.04
2. Pauri Nagarpalika Parishad 24742 90.53
3. Dugaddaa Nagarpalika Parishad 2690 90.15
4. Kotdwar Nagarpalika Parishad 25400 81.54
5. Bah-Bazar (Dev
Prayag)
Nagar Panchayat 594 89.4
6. Lans Down Chhaawani Parishad 7902 94.64
7. Kashirampur Jangarna Nagar (2001) 9033 87.41
(151)
Table-13
Income-Expenditure of Pauri-Garhwal
Income (Rupees) Expenditure (Rupees) Year
Personal
Sources
Grants Total Adhishthan
Expenditure
Other
Expanses
Total
1996-97 2310237 3803801 6176403 2132226 1695294 3827520
1997-98 2922535 4862535 7785426 1625150 1621193 7746347
1998-99 2312307 16084042 8396349 4870794 10817356 15688150
1999-2000 7904257 10462484 18366741 3489773 16751754 20250527
2000-2001 2017021 24344987 26362008 3731268 16156762 19888030
(152)
Table-14
Caste Reservation of Srinagar Nagar Nikay
S.No. Class Number Name of Class Caste of Reservation
1. 04 Bakriyana Schedule Caste (Male)
2. 03 Civil Line Female
3. 01 Kinwani Unreserved
4. 02 Bazar Line Unreserved
Source: Uttarakhand Government Urban Development Department, Adhisuchana
Dated 31-8-02
(153)
Table- 15
Literacy Data of Nagar Nikay Belonging to Dehradun
Population Literacy Number S.
No.
Tehsil Urban/
Rural Total Male Female Total Male Female
1. Chakrata Total
Rural
Urban
119266
115769
3497
62728
60563
2165
56538
55206
1332
52974
50355
2619
34312
32565
1747
18662
17790
872
2. Dehradun Total
Rural
Urban
739116
173891
565225
391302
90792
300510
347814
83099
264715
553937
121811
432126
311651
68686
242965
242286
53125
89161
3. Vikasnaga
r
Total
Rural
Urban
231189
209462
21727
121008
109571
11437
110181
99891
10290
137201
121326
15875
80637
71823
8814
565564
49503
7061
4. Rishikesh Total
Rural
Urban
189512
102843
86669
100511
53370
47141
89001
49473
39528
137364
72062
65302
80021
41888
38133
57343
30174
27169
Total/
District
Total
Rural
Urban
1279083
601965
677118
675549
314296
361253
603534
287669
315865
881476
365554
515922
506621
214962
291659
374855
150592
224263
(154)
Table-16
District Dehradun Urban Area and Nagar Nikay
S.No. Urban/Urban Area Caste of Nagar
Nikay
Population Literacy
(%)
1. Chakrata Cantonment Area 3497 85.12
2. Vikas Nagar Nagar Palika Parishad 12485 86.03
3. herbartpur Nagar Panchayat 9242 79.84
4. Dehradun Nagar Nigam 447808 85.68
5. Dehradun Cantt. Cantonment Area 30102 88.13
6. Clamentown Cantonment Area 19634 62.93
7. Masurrie Nagar Palika Parishad 26069 87.46
8. Doiwala Nagar Panchayat 8047 85.91
9. Rishikesh Nagar Panchayat
Nagar Palika Parishad
59671 85.18
10. Van Anusandhan Sansthan
and College
Jangarna Nagar
(Census Town)
5428 90.32
11. Raipur Do 24887 91.41
12. Pratit Nagar Do 7078 81.37
13. Veer Bhadra Industrial Area 13271 88.10
(155)
Table- 17
Nagar-Nikay in District Haridwar
Population Literacy S.
No.
Tehsil/
District
Rural/
Urban Total Male Female Total Male Female
Total 775093 414288 360805 394438 246461 147977
Rural 568103 301652 266451 263682 168660 95022
1. Rurki
Urban 206990 112636 94354 130756 77801 52955
Total 478966 257016 221950 282753 170862 111891
Rural 258533 137857 120676 123224 78645 44589
2. Haridwar
Urban 220433 119159 101275 159519 92217 67302
Total 190154 101869 88285 91611 60035 31576
Rural 171914 92019 79895 79287 52653 26634
3. Laksar
Urban 18240 9850 8390 12324 7382 4942
Total 1444213 773173 671040 768802 477358 291444
Rural 998550 531528 467022 466203 299258 166245
Total/
District
Urban 445663 241645 204018 302599 177400 125199
Source: Census- 2001 (Final)
(156)
Table- 18
Urban Area and Urban Nikay in District Haridwar
S.No. Urban Area Caste of Nagar Nikay Population
(2001)
Literacy
(%)
1. Haridwar Nagar Palike Parishad 177181 79.66
2. Rurkee NPP/Cantonment Area 114811 86.06
3. Laksar Nagar Panchayat 18240 79.60
4. Landaura Nagar Panchayat 16022 45.04
5. Jhabrera Nagar Panchayat 9378 69.14
6. Mangalore Nagar Palika Parishad 42782 45.23
7. Bharat Hevi Electrical
Ltd. Ranipur
Industrial Township 43252 89.14
8. Dhandera Census Town 15297 65.73
9. Mohanpur
Mohammadpur
Census Town 8700 78.21
(157)
Table-19
Reservation of Classes District Haridwar
S.No. No. of Classes Name of Class Caste of Reservation
1. 16 Tobari Sshedule Caste (Female)
2. 17 Ambedkar Nagar Shedule Caste
3. 18 Kadach Shedule Caste
4. 24 Lodha Mandi OBC (Female)
5. 25 Kassawan OBC
6. 20 Medanyan OBC
7. 11 Krishnanagar Female
8. 01 Bhupatwala Female
9. 12 Rishikul Female
(158)
Table- 20
Income and expenditure of Nagar Nikay Laksar (rupees in lakh)
Income Expenditure Year
Build.
Tax
Water
value
Tah
bazari
other
item
Total Exp. of
Adhisht-
han
Exp. of
Manuf.
Other
expend
iture
Total
1996-
97
- 0.34 3.09 6.77 10.20 4.71 2.58 0.09 7.38
1997-
98
- 0.60 2.68 2.51 5.79 4.59 3.27 0.05 7.91
1998-
99
- 0.68 2.07 36.75 39.50 10.62 4.78 3.47 28.87
1999-
2000
- 0.90 3.64 24.44 28.98 8.58 20.94 2.08 31.60
2000-
2001
0.53 0.91 3.60 28.74 33.78 9.02 22.72 - 31.74
Source : Nagar Nikay Atlas 2000-01 Nagar Panchyat Laksar
(159)
Table- 21
Literacy Data of Nagar Nikay in Pithoragarh District
Population Literacy Number S.
No.
Tehsil/
District
Rural/
Urban Total Male Female Total Male Female
1 Munsyari Total
Rural
Urban
46547
46547
-
22742
22742
-
23805
23805
-
26458
26458
-
16062
16062
-
10396
10396
-
2 Dharchula Total
Rural
Urban
61193
51031
10162
31124
25737
5387
30069
25294
4775
35554
28345
7209
22117
17926
4191
13437
10419
3018
3 Didihat Total
Rural
Urban
135575
130770
4805
65310
62676
2634
70265
68094
2171
89415
85596
3819
50014
47813
2201
39401
37783
1618
4 Gangolihat Total
Rural
Urban
70207
70207
-
33416
33416
-
36791
36791
-
40720
40720
-
23836
23836
-
16884
16884
-
5 Pithoragarh Total
Rural
Urban
148627
107470
41175
75000
52946
22054
73627
54524
19103
107651
74219
33432
60667
42040
18627
46984
32179
14805
6 Total/
District
Total
Rural
Urban
462149
406025
56124
227592
197517
30075
234557
208508
26049
299798
255338
44460
172696
147677
25019
127102
107661
19441
Source: Census 2001 (Final)
(160)
Table- 22
Nagar Nikay in Pithoragarh District
S.No. Urban Area Caste of Nagar Nikay Population
(2001)
Literacy %
1. Pithoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad 41157 91.91
2. Didihat Nagar Panchayat 4805 90.65
3. Dharchula Nagar Panchayat 6424 85.65
4. Dharchula
Dehat
Census Nagar 3738 77.60
(161)
Table- 23
Literacy Data of Nagar Nikay in Bageshwar District
Population Literacy person S.No. Tehsil/District Rurral
Urban Total Male Female Total Male Female
1. Bageshwar
Tehsil and
District
Total
Rural
Urban
249453
241650
7803
118202
113896
4306
131251
127754
3497
150189
144326
5863
86103
82705
3398
64086
61621
2465
Source: Census 2001
(162)
APPENDIX (B)
On the basis of following questionnaire the research scholar made effort to
enquire and to know the views of common citizens and municipal employees on the
working of municipal bodies.
(I) Political awareness of people towards the urban local bodies:
1. Do you participate in the municipal election of your city/town. Yes/No
2. Do you know about the functions and duties of municipality
of your area. Yes/No
3. Do you know about the types (categories) of municipal
administration in the state. Yes/No
4. Do you have interest on responding about the question related to
municipal bodies your city/town. Yes/No
4a. Name of Mayor/Chairman of your city/town. Yes/No
4b.. Name of Dupty Mayor/Vice chairman of your city/town. Yes/No
4c. The name of corporter/ward member of your area Yes/No
5. Are you satisfied with the functioning of municipal body of
your town. Yes/No
6. Do you motivate your family member and your friend to
actively participate in the municipal election of your city/town. Yes/No
7. Do you know about the duties performed by the municipal body
of your city/town. Yes/No
8. The state government should reform its policies for empowering
and more efficient working of municipal administration. Yes/No
(163)
9. People residing in slum areas are aware of welfare programme
executed by municipal bodies. Yes/No
10. The municipal bodies are working effectively for the upliftment
of slum areas. Yes/No
11. Are you satisfied with the infrastructure development program
of municipal body. Yes/No
12. Are municipal bodies have achieved success in providing
representation to every section of the society. Yes/No
13. Do you think the municipal bodies are able to face the challenges
of urban areas. Yes/No
(164)
(II) Financial resources and grants :
1. Financial resources of urban local bodies should be increased. Yes/No
2. Grants allotted by the state government to the municipal bodies
are projected on their annual budget report. Yes/No
3. Grants of state and central government is sufficient against the
demand of municipal bodies. Yes/No
4. Financial rights of the corporater/ward members should in
increased or not. Yes/No
5. Fund & Grants provided by state government are affected by
the political scenario of state and municipal bodies. Yes/No
6. Grants provided to the municipal bodies are expended on the
welfare programme properly. Yes/No
7. Tax collection process and sources should be more efficient
and increased . Yes/No
8. Funds allotted by municipal body to particular area or ward
for its development is sufficient. Yes/No
9. To increase the income sources of municipal bodies of hill areas
they should be attached with tourism activities. Yes/No
10. Functioning of nagar nigam and nagar palika are same or differ
to large extent. Yes/No
