Mumbaikars score low on BMC facts & figures A survey by St. Xavier’s College students show 51% of citizens don’t know which ward they belong to

Mumbaikars score low on BMC facts & figures

A survey by St. Xavier’s College students show 51% of citizens don’t know which ward they belong to

A survey undertaken by the students of St Xavier’s College has yet again exposed the indifference among the general population as far as the municipal awareness goes. Though unable to say what BMC stands for, people are quick to blame ‘it’ for everything that goes wrong in the city. When asked, if they are willing to shoulder the responsibility of change, say by voting in large numbers or even contesting the elections themselves, they responded in the negative. The survey shows that 26% of Mumbaikars are not aware that BMC stands for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with many thinking it to mean Bombay Mahanagar Commission or Bombay Municipal Committee. Nearly 33% are ignorant of the fact that the Shiv Sena is the ruling party in the corporation. Further, it was revealed that 51% of Mumbaikars do not know even know which ward they belong to, and 61% did not vote in the recent civic elections. Given the low voter turnout in the municipal corporation elections held in January, the students wanted to find out the awareness about the corporation among the general population. Around 20 BSc students interviewed over 5,000 people, among them students, housewives, shopkeepers, teachers, professionals, housemaids and senior citizens, of which 39% flatly termed the BMC functioning as “below average”. When asked if they would want to the contest elections to improve their city, 69% refused. Admitting that the survey was an eye-opener, SYBSc student Benaz Irani said, ‘‘Though people blame the BMC for all that is wrong, they themselves are indifferent and are most unwilling to change it.’’ Professor and corporator Avkash Jadhav, who headed the survey team of the students, has now put forth the survey to the civic authorities, so that the corporation can take stock of the public opinion. Ruing the disconnect common people have with the corporation, he pointed out, ‘‘One of the survey findings showed that people felt that the BMC was only good at handling cash rich areas such as Walkeshwar, Napean Sea Road, Peddar Road, Juhu, Bandra, Mantralaya and Fort.’’ Another finding stated that 72% of the people were not interested in sending their family member to a civic school or hospital.