Muzaffarpur – what lies ahead

Muzaffarpur – a bazaar which eventually became a city. It’s not me defining the city but what I hear often from elders. Onto this transformation what went missing is – Planning. Gross mismanagement has led us to the day – what we call today.

It’s a sad note to start but otherwise it would had been bluff. Nevertheless, it’s not completely lost rather opportune time to convert our sluggish growth into the strength by realizing every next development in the city with utmost care of nature and considering pollution as prime enemy. In big terms – it has to be sustainable development. Probably, its only way to be smart otherwise it would be like cutting the branch on which we are sitting – slowly and knowingly.

Going forward, I would keep my suggestions under headings and point wise to keep the writing clean. You might find few of them known and few of them already under implementation but the idea is to keep them all there to remind that task is not done yet.

1. Pollution Handling – Though this is nonstarter concept for Muzaffarpur but I strongly feel that it would be biggest problem in coming years as city expands. Already, as per WHO (World Health Organization) latest report, Delhi tops list of most polluted city in world (please watch, we are talking about the world) and Patna is in top 20. Fortunately, Muzaffarpur is not so developed yet. Hence rather than cleaning the mess we have opportunity to implement best practices early.
   
1. Roads should be pitched using coal tar as much as possible. Unfortunately, even main city roads are not completely pitched, leave the residential roads. Loose particles from concrete roads cause high concentration of particulate matter and dust in environment.
   
   
2. Do not leave some 2 feet spaces at both side of roads, particularly in residential roads. We live in a part of India where soil is made up of fine alluvium particles (called Khadar). These particles are very volatile. They add to higher concentration of particulate matter in air and cause dust.
   
   
3. Promote terrace gardening, pillar gardening and similar concepts. Though, people of Muzaffarpur are close to nature due to their link to villages but with growing urbanization, it would be hard to keep further. Hence, if such practice is started early, benefits will be wonderful in coming years. This might seem small at house level but aggregate will be substantial.
   
   Also, we get an option of home grown organic food from our own garden.

4. There is need for strict implementation of ban on plastic carry bag usage. This has to become behavioral change where people need to be educated about ills of plastic bags in jamming sewers, cows eating them and getting sick etc. If possible, partner with NGOs to provide low cost jute bags to household and shops.
   
   We have not been using plastic bags since long rather started using it in recent times. It’s important to go back to good old method of carrying jute/cloth bags whenever you go to shop.

5. Every day there is lots of noise pollution due to either unrequired honking or ill-manufactured horns in vehicles. An awareness scheme is needed to educate people about health issues caused by frequent honking. It causes High Blood Pressure problem and this disease is rapidly clutching people and their happiness.
   
   Also, there is need of regulatory framework to ensure new vehicles are not fitted with high decibel horns. Meanwhile, stringent law need to pass to ensure spare horns sold in open market have specification under limits of affordable noise level.

6. Non strict enforcement of PUC of vehicles is another major concern. Please ensure bi-yearly check of every vehicle.
   
   
1. Cleanliness – Issue with this parameter is – it’s most talked but least implemented. Both people and administration are reason behind such an ugly scenario of cleanliness in Muzaffarpur.
   
   
1. Please don’t pass tenders of uncovered drain creation. Even people of Harrappan Culture (they were people of 1500 BC – approx. 3500 years behind us) had covered drains. Open drains in residential and at sides of city roads invite mosquitos to breed. Plastic commodities easily seep into them and cause obstruction to flowing drain.
   
   
2. Common Dustbin at road side is not good idea. Responsibility of everyone is no one’s responsibility. They quickly become best place to litter. Rather every house should have letter box style dustbin installed at outer periphery of house and big enough to accommodate 2 days of house garbage.
   
   
3. Door to Door garbage pick is better policy. The mechanism should be strengthened as we go ahead. It’s important to learn from mistakes and rectify them in such work as it is fickle in nature due to kind of activity and over involvement of manpower.
   
   
4. Ponds and lakes in the city should be cleaned quarterly. All of them suffer from eutrophication (be it Bhagwanpur, Bhrampura, Motijheel or other) which is clear indication that nutrient rich household waste somehow flow into them and cause algae boom. If, we can address this then probably we are eliminating root cause which is better idea.
   
   These places, if clean, keep environment cool in summers as more surface are of water is exposed for evaporation. Also, they work as better place for recreation activities. Once, algae are cleared, even fishes can be bred into those water as more oxygen is available in water.

5. There is need to educate people of issues of spitting in public. There is need to promote videos though DD Muzaffarpur. A video could be like fly sitting of spit and then your food and body.
   
   
2. Renewable sources – It’s important we adopt best practice of using renewable resources. Early we start, early we reap. It not something, we haven’t been doing but it’s about adopting new advancement which has taken over world, absorb them in our culture to be better placed.
   
   
1. There is need to implement programs like – “Har Ghar Solar”. Sun already has very important place in Hindu religion and more in Bihar culture due to Chatth Puja.
   
   Government already provides subsidy on grid connected and off grid solar systems through Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). Going ahead, there are high chances that solar electricity will be cheaper than coal based electricity. Prices of solar electricity generation has already slumped to Rs. 5-6 per unit.
   
   Shade from Solar installation at roof top has another benefit of keeping top floor cooler in summer.

2. There is need of implementing Net Metering so that people generating surplus electricity from solar installations in their house can sell them to electricity companies. Germany is very good example of such implementation.
   
   
3. There is great untapped potential of biomass generation in Muzaffarpur. Since, Muzaffarpur is surrounded by villages from all sides, the excess of agriculture by product as well as biodegradable city garbage can be taken to bio mass plant.
   
   Such plants in turn produce variety of products, primarily electricity and organic fertilizers.

4. Promote e-rickshaw. This is novel innovation. E-rickshaw cause less air pollution and less noise pollution. Buying, running and maintaining it is more economical than conventional auto rickshaw. Since, it accommodates only 6 people at maximum, waiting period is less in plying them. Thus it’s more productive as well.
   
   Cities like Bardhaman in West Bengal are good example of how they have adopted e-rickshaw.

5. Using plastics in road construction should be analyzed. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak yojana has already specified guidelines regarding this at http://pmgsy.nic.in/circulars/GPW.htm
   
   
3. Water Table issue – This needed a separate header. One of the grim example of where we are headed is lowering of water table. 20 years back city had water table of 80 feet which has increased to 200 feet. If we don’t take enough precautions we will exhaust the drinking water available for us. If not us then for next generation for sure.
   
   
1. It’s very necessary to install water level indicator system at private water tanks and public water tanks. We waste thousands of gallons of water everyday through overflowing tanks. In addition we waste electricity and end up paying more as well.
   
   
2. Every public park must have ground water recharge tanks.
   
   
3. Rain water harvesting should be promoted among people. There will be no life without water. Every drop you save gives future generation a better earth.
   
   
4. Public Amenities and Infrastructure – Thanks to almost no planning in city expansion that we face grim situation of negligible public amenities. Infrastructure are not adequate enough to accommodate the city population without counting other people who come daily to earn living.
   
   
1. Somehow, there is no concept of Public Park in residential area. There is need to identify pockets of land in each residential area in transparent manner. And this need to be done on immediate basis before lands in locality gets saturated with houses and then there would be no place left to raise a park.
   
   
2. Even main city roads miss street lights, leave the idea of getting them in residential areas.
   
   
3. Main roads need to be widened. I see two associated problems.
   
   First, we in India often talk about roads when they get load of ~100%. While, we fix it to get 100% adjusted, burden would already increase to ~150%. Hence, road problem never get solved. Singapore is an example which plans road for next 50 years and review status every decade.
   
   Second, it’s necessary to deal with encroachments as we widen roads. This article will deal with encroachment issues in writings ahead where we talk about inclusiveness and police involvement.

4. Restart Nagar Bus Sewa. It’s very important to have low cost, far reaching transport service in city, running at adequate frequency. Also, experience in city transport system will come handy as city expands and as we implement other transport services in coming times.
   
   
5. Having women toilet at every 500 meters is good idea but please don’t leave men to litter road side. Also, it’s necessary not to implement this program in haste.
   
   Few companies like Eram Scientific have made self-cleaning – solar powered toilets. They can be checked if they suit the requirement. It’s better to go slow and solid.

6. Ensure Generic Medicine shops are opened in city. These shops provide low cost alternative and affordable medicines to people.
   
   
7. Electricity Company need to be properly audited. Please don’t award contract to electricity companies which don’t comply necessary staring or operating rules.
   
   Current company Essel online bill payment facility and complain facility doesn’t work properly. Even somehow you put complain, there is no complaint number or action. At present, bills are not provided on time to households, hence people have to pay without rebate or sometimes with fine as due date is not known to them. Cumulatively such amount become substantial.
   
   There is greater problem of low voltage. As per few articles online like https://dmohankumar.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/how-voltage-drop-makes-bill-hike-fact-file-16/ , low voltage cause more current consumption in appliance particularly motor based and coil based. If such is the case (need to be verified from proper source), then proper action should be taken as providing low voltage to people is cheating them on product.
   
   Muzaffarpur lies in high intensity earthquake prone area (seismic zone 4/5). There are many damaged poles which can cause hazard. Such poles need to be identified and replaced at urgent basis. Also, poles should be placed at drain side wherever possible in residential areas to ensure they don’t damage houses in case of any unwelcome incident.

8. More dedicated approach should be applied to get rail over bridges completed.
   
    A high level safety review committee constituted for the ministry of Railways and headed by Dr Anil Kakodkar recommended elimination of both manned and unmanned level crossings.
   
   This is necessary to ease traffic congestion in city.

9. Water availability to households and lifting Muzaffarpur out of Water Logging issue has been talked since decade. There is already work in progress but it’s unorganized, ill-managed and quite slow. Super Sucker machine recently brought on lease remain idle for most of the time and hence wasting taxpayer money. 

6. Traffic – This is by product of ill-implementation of many other parameter like public amenities, infrastructure etc.
   
   
1. There is need to pull bus stand from Imli Chatti to outer periphery of city. By this we can achieve purpose of not forcing people enter in city who actually don’t want to.
   
   
2. Another similar idea is to pull Kachahari to outer periphery. People should move from inner city to outer city for necessities as outer periphery can grow as demand increases while inner places cannot.
   
   Another point is places where people from other cities, nearby villages visit frequently should be placed at city periphery.
   
   Though, few can argue that by same concept Doctors from Juran Chapra should also be asked to move at periphery but it’s important to understand that it’s easier to move Government establishments than pursuing each public individual.

3. Implement one way traffic strictly, like at Juran Chapra. Create parking at entry of one way so that people can park and move at closer destination while their vehicles are safe. Without parking people go into one way with their vehicle and try to come back same way as coming back is only 100 m while following one way causes them ~1 km trip.
   
   
4. Ensure working and strict implementation of traffic light at places like Tower. Also install new traffic signal lights at places like Kalambagh chowk.
   
   
5. Important bypass or parallel roads like Muzaffarpur Bypass and Sikanderpur road need to be completed and projected so that people who don’t need to enter main roads of cities avoid them as much possible.
   
   
6. Widening of roads and completing railway over bridges are already discussed.
   
   
6. Inclusive – City is defined from its people and governance. Governance is defined from how people are treated and how much freedom they have been given to pursue their legitimate choices.
   
   
1. It’s very important to listen and treat Safai Karamchari and ASHA worker well. They are the wheels of society. Without wheel even best manufactured vehicle cannot run.There should be incentive method for the completing allocated garbage collection and drainage cleaning work. Additional higher incentive for additional work done. Model can be somewhat similar to cab services provide to drivers.
   
   
2. Stop concept of foundation stones/ inauguration stones at every road, drain, bridge corner, etc. Ministers don’t pay out of their own pocket. It’s their job to do that. Ministers use these stuff to highlight themselves and that’s out of taxpayer money.
   
   This is waste of money, time, resources, cause road blockage and improper projection of one man. More worryingly, this causes separation between what is right of a citizen and what is provided as token of grant. It’s important to note, people are not due to government instead government is due to people. Unfortunately, we don’t realize this truth due to false stories and needs around us.
   
   I have written in detail about it at http://etherealnotions.blogspot.in/2015/03/please-say-no-to-foundation.html

3. Regulate road side encroachment. Remove people from places only if utmost necessary and ensure proper replacement.
   
   One way could be to give license to people to operate on basis of area covered whereas maximum license cost should be low (say Rs. 500) and to be renewed yearly. License holder should be asked to keep dustbins, keep nearby places clean and keep tab on unwanted people/activities. License should be hereditary in nature to wife and one recommended sibling only. It can be granted to father or mother on special need basis only.
   
   License holder are supposed to submit their children education progress yearly. This is to monitor that their children get good education and thrive for better job rather than falling in same business. This also ensure that places get vacant on change of generation.
   
   This can provide lot of benefits like work security to hawker, revenue from municipality which currently goes in police pocket. It enhances security, responsibility and cleanliness.

4. There is need to provide places for moving hawkers. If Imli Chatti bus stand and Kachahari is pulled out of city then they could be ideal places to develop such resort.
   
   Some area in such places can be given as license and provide central area to free performers and moving hawkers. Such places can be beautified by lights, sitting places, trees and small ponds.
   
   
7. Reach – It’s very important area where we need to work on. Though we have ideas but there is no way to reach out to people or collect suggestions from them. Since, internet penetration is still quite low, it’s not very effective method yet.
   
   
1. Safai karamchari services can be used to reach out to people. Since, their service is on daily basis and they reach out to every household, they can be very useful in educating people through banners or pamphlets.
   
   
2. FM radio is another very useful means. There is need to have Muzaffarpur specific FM radio channel which streams updated content and is vibrant. This is necessary initially to motivate people to use FM. Once popular, it could be used to disseminate information and educate people.
   
   
3. DD Muzaffarpur also need to rise from ashes. It is very important platform to educate people through video messages.
   
   Also, programs like “Jawabdehi” should start where people holding important government post should come and explain current status of their work. Such people could be MP, MLAs, Mayor, DM, SP, University head, Municipal Commissioner, Ward Parshad etc.

4. Municipality Website needs serious enhancement. There is already work under process to get services like birth and death certification, property tax payment online but speed is too slow. And as more services (like what new work municipality is doing, deadline and progress) get online better it would be.
   
   
5. Create mobile app using which people can raise issue. App should perform locate issue (can be GPS based), snap picture, comment, categorize and send activities. If category is not appropriate then receiving authority should re-categorize it to appropriate department. For each issue raised, issue number should be allotted and it should be open app where every issue and activity can be viewed by all. Login could use Aadhar based login system to have authenticated people raising issues. Activity log should be there to show how much time is taken to act and resolve and by whom. Re open status should be there in case issue is wrongly closed without taking action.
   
   Promote journalists, police and post man to use them as they have access to majority of areas.
   
   Similar app is being developed by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

9. Law and Order – This is one of the most important parameter to live in better society. It’s not the city but whole state lacks in every front of law and order. Without better law and order we cannot expect threat free life, growth in educational institutes and business community.
   
   
1. There are three prime issues. First, lack of adequate police personnel. Second, lack of technological and technical upgrade of arms, vehicles, police stations, surveillance devices, communication devices and connectivity. Third, police personnel are not well trained to tackle different situation and there is no effort to better people-police relationship. There is no threat to criminals and crime is carried on will and with authority.
   
   
2. There should be framework where police should support municipality in stopping new encroachment particularly in areas where new roads/bridges are built and roads are widened. Police patrol team should be trained to handle this situation and work hand in hand with municipality.
   
   
3. CCTV camera are need of hour in city. Rampant threats of chain snatching, local feuds, and unnecessary blockage can be monitored via well planned and extensively laid network of CCTV cameras.
   
   These camera should be of high resolution and placed high up on places like mobile towers, public water tanks, street lights, etc.
   
   People should be involved and requested to allow installing such cameras on high rise buildings.

10. Education and Business – Probably 70-80% of household in Muzaffarpur send at least one person from their house outside the city to learn and earn. We are terribly behind in providing security and infrastructure to attract education and business houses to city or promote someone from city itself. These services provide immense benefits of creating job, providing better services, stopping unnecessary migration, educate people, create awareness and build citizen voice.
    
    
1. City lacks hospitals which provide holistic treatment or specialized treatment. Hospitals like Apollo, Manipal etc. are need of hour. These hospitals can server complete North Bihar at the moment.
   
   Hospitals which work on specialization should be encouraged. Mahavir Cancer Sansthan in Patna is an example.

2. Private Medical Colleges, Technical institutes and vocational institutes should be encouraged. We are knowledge loving society but unfortunately we lack knowledge imparting institutions. Yes, law and order and infrastructure is one very important pre requisite.
   
   
3. Bela industrial area needs proper attention. Continuous and non-fluctuating electricity supply, roads, drainage, lighting, security, canteen, communication lines, etc. all are non-existent or inadequate.
   
   Also, manpower extensive industries should be encouraged to accommodate large number of low skilled workers. One example could be setting up e-rickshaw plant which serves dual purpose of employment and low cost e-rickshaw in Muzaffarpur and nearby areas.

11. Revenue –
    
    
1. Shopkeepers, doctors and who so ever running their own business don’t follow proper sales receipt process. At least 70-80 percent of them don’t provide sales or service receipt. Hence, there is huge amount of sales tax forgone. Also, this helps them understate their income.
   
   Either they don’t keep sales receipt or have additional duplicate bill pads. There is need to get it implemented strictly. This can help gain substantial amount of revenue.

2. Municipality should look to issue Municipal bonds to increase capital so that more money is available to invest on infrastructure. Municipal bonds have been in existence in India since 1997. Cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Nashik and Madurai have issued them.
   
   But for that we need to enhance credibility and prove that we have enough revenue sources to repay principal and interest on those bonds.

3. We have already talked about providing road side spaces to hawkers legally on charge of small amount.
   
   
11. Learning –
    
    
1. Municipality needs to be active in looking at international MOUs signed between India and other countries. Recently, Germany has signed MOU with India where there could be sharing of knowledge at Municipality level.
   
   
2. Municipality also needs to identify best practices in other municipalities across India and send teams to get trained. These trained people can try to implement best practices in Muzaffarpur under local conditions.
   
   
3. 2^nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) report on Local Governance provides very insightful inputs and can be used when we find ourselves breaking away from real goal of self governance. This can be viewed at http://arc.gov.in/6-1.pdf ,  http://arc.gov.in/6-2.pdf and http://arc.gov.in/6-3.pdf .
   
   
12. Miscellaneous – There are various other problem. Few of them are:
    
    
1. Private schools in city are on free run. Freedom of operation is provided to excel in providing service but unfortunately it has been used to amass wealth inappropriately. Hence, there is need to regulate private schools.\
   
   Cartel of schools and goods suppliers should be broken. Schools can only enlist specification of dress, books, stationary items and copies whereas shopkeepers should be free to adopt and provide them in market and parents should be open to buy it from market. No readmission fees should be charged from same student if he/she continues in same school. There shouldn’t be any hike in fees or addition of any new component to fee structure in one academic year and without pre notice of at least 2 months. It’s important to take care of this issue as it hinders proper initial education.

2. Building laws need to be more strict. Muzaffarpur lies in very harsh climatic zone. To get the idea of issue, http://muzaffarpur.bih.nic.in/muz_drmp.htm can be looked upon. This is jointly published by Government of Bihar and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
   
   Planning and architect schools can be roped in to provide near ideal architecture for building considering the local factors and those can be promoted as model to be followed.

List is exhaustive but it has to be. Planning process is bootstrapping in city. Instead I feel I must have missed few points but then this is beauty of deliberative process that if one misses, another raises.

Muzaffarpur is late starter but as discussed earlier we can take it as opportunity to start in better way. This is better than making city inefficient, overloaded and polluted and then fixing the problem.

All issues raised are interlinked. There is need of holistic approach, detailed planning and good coordination to implement them. We can move slowly but need to be fundamentally strong.

All eyes on administration and people of Muzaffarpur and I am sure we will be matured in our approach and collectively bring a better future.