MUMBAI IS BURNING !

Dismiss   Inefficient   Government   Servant  [   DIGS  ]

Three days back , there was a fire at Kamala Mill Compound

14 persons ( mostly young girls ) died

Maharashtra Government / BMC took the following , expected “ Actions “ :

Set up a departmental ( - not “ high level “ ? ) inquiry

Ordered Fire Audits of restaurants

Started partial demolition of some unauthorised extensions (- don’t expect completion with no guarantee of non-return ! )

Suspended 5 officers / Transferred  one to Andheri ward ( shifting cancer to just another part of body ? )

Tried to arrest the owners of the pub

May be , offered “ compensation “ to the kin of the victims ?

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Only thing , neither the Govt nor BMC did, was to tell the citizens (- though there was every desire to do so ! ) :

“ Statistically speaking, accidents like this are bound to happen in a big city like Mumbai, from time to time .

While you grieve , wait for the next one to happen .

By that time , we hope you would have forgotten this Kamala Mill accident.

Till then, keep busy with your everyday miserable life in this metropolis ! “

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Is it unfortunate that the Government officers responsible for such accidents, are never held accountable for their lapses ( or worse , for their “ bribe-inspired “ collusion ) which lead to such accidents

I urge some TV Channel / Print Newspaper to develop / launch , a mobile app ( - to be called , DIGS ? ) , with following features :

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The App will have following SECTIONS :

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[ A ]  NATURE  of accident  ( select from following drop-list ) :

#     Fire

#     Building Crash / Bridge crash

#     Road / Rail / Air travel , accidents ( including those created by potholes )

#     Daily 10 persons getting run over by local trains

#     Falling through open gutter manholes

#     Stampede at religious places

#     Flooding due to monsoon rains

#     Boat capsizing

#     Construction workers falling from heights

#     Epidemic  breakout

#     Running out of Oxygen in hospitals or Power Failures during operations

#    Electrocution

#    Drowning in  swimming pool

#    Hooch   tragedy

#    Food poisoning in public eating place or in schools ( Private or Public )

Citizens may be invited for a comprehensive list ( even involving accidents without deaths )

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[ B ]    LOCATION  (  enter  )

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[ C ]    DATE  (  enter  )

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[ D ]   OFFICER RESPONSIBLE ( in your opinion ) :

Chief Minister

Home Minister

Transport Minister ( including local trains / Metros )

PWD / Housing Minister

BMC Chief

Deputy Municipal Commissioner

Assistant Municipal Commissioner

Ward Officer

Fire Department Chief

Officer in charge of Building Approvals

Manager / Owner of concerned premises

NOTA - None of the Above – ( will require providing name and designation )

AOTA - All of the Above – ( can be selected but will result in only “ Warning / Caution Letter “ )

Against each name , citizen will have following choices to tick :

#    Most  Responsible

#    Somewhat Responsible

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[ E ]  PUNISHMENT  ( being recommended by user of DIGS )

What punishment do you recommend for officer who you considered MOST RESPONSIBLE  ? ”

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#     Warning / Caution Letter ( with salary freeze / no annual increment )

#     Demotion ( to a post two levels / grades lower )

#     Salary cut (  by 50 % for one year  )

#     Transfer out of city to a remote village ( even without any work )

#     Suspension ( pending inquiry )

#     Resignation ( forced but as a saving grace )

#     Dismissal ( followed by Inquiry )

#    FIR for a Non-bail able Offense ( followed by IMMEDIATE ARREST )

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[ F ]   CONDITIONS   (  governing use of DIGS app ) :

Any citizen can use it , after an accident

Citizens will log into the App through Aadhar Authentication ( Fingerprint / Iris or Voice )

For each “ Accident Incidence “ , a citizen can use the app , only once ( disabling feature )

DIGS can be used only within the first week after the accident ( late use to be rejected )

Results will be published on the TV Channel / Newspaper web site  and also regularly broadcast ( like the polls being conducted by them )

What I have suggested is a simple – but very powerful – tool through which, MEDIA ( whether Online or Offline ) can bring about E – Governance

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Notice to Start-Ups :

How about coming up with a prototype CHAT-BOT ( based on Google Action ? ), eliminating all typing , which users will find very easy to use ? 

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Through DIGS , media can mobilize citizens and even come up with a ,

CITIZEN’S  CHARTER  OF  DEMANDS

As far as Mumbai citizens are concerned , they should ( through the Charter of Demand , mentioned above ) , send out to all Political Parties , the following message :

“ We will boycott any Political Party which does not commit itself in its Election Manifesto , to pass appropriate law in the Maharashtra State Assembly, to give LEGAL SANCTION / BACKING to DIGS “

Appropriately organized by Media , if we raise our voice, I think , Shri Devendra Fadnavis , may not want to wait for the next state election, to implement DIGS

He is clever enough to realize that ,

This is one initiative which must not be handed over to the Opposition

If some other Opposition Party seizes this opportunity in the next 15 days ( by launching DIGS ) , he will face “ Anti-Incumbency “ sentiment in 2019  !

Did you say :  Time for a NEW  YEAR  RESOLUTION  ?

Jan  2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs