VMC follows bad model

With this sort of a track record, it takes guts and extreme optimism to go ahead with plans to add another 61 sq km 8212; 21 more villages 8212; to the city. Quizzed about the VMC8217;s audacious plans, Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria only expounds the percolation theory of development8217;. 8220;First the nucleus develops, then the peripheries8221;, he states.

8220;We are assessing short- and long-term assets and liabilities. If the liabilities outweigh the assets, a decision will be taken accordingly8221;, he says. But the effect is spoilt it when he tries to wriggle out of the corner by pointing out that the proposal was mooted in 1992, much before he became the city8217;s civic chief.

VMC officers speak the layman8217;s language, but only on conditions of anonymity. 8220;At a time when drainage choke-ups are commonplace in Sama, one wonders whether the civic body will be able to extend services beyond the area8221;, says a senior officer.

Deputy Mayor Dinesh Choksi8217;s views aren8217;t very different from the officer8217;s. 8220;Only the adjoining villages 8212; like Sama and Tarsali 8212; should be included in the city limits. That8217;ll help us get revenue for the water and drainage services, which are being provided there8221;, he says, hastening to add that these are his personal views, not the party8217;s.

Then, in another smart move, he points out that the Bharatiya Janata Party8217;s been in power for only three years. 8220;The city8217;s drainage lines are undercapacity; the water pipeline network, too, needs to be upgraded8221;, says Choksi.

If the BJP pleads it has prepared masterplans for drainage and stormwater drains in its three years in power, Congress leader Kanchanbhai Parmar tries to excuse his party on the grounds of a severe resource crunch.

Standing Committee chairman N V Patel, however, makes no bones about his views.

8220;If the limits are extended, Chhani will be in the same position as Maneja is today8221;, he says.

Then why did the BJP pursue the issue of expansion? Patel passes the onus on to the Congress: 8220;If the BJP had reversed the Congress8217;s earlier resolution on expansion, the fallout would have been negative. Also, if the limits are extended, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation can at least control and recover taxes from villages it is already servicing.8221;

Mayor Bharati Vyas is even less far-sighted. 8220;Let the villages be included, then we8217;ll make a plan8221;, she says when asked how the VMC expected to cope with the additional pressure. 8220;The expansion should have taken place 10 years ago!8221;

A similar lack of foresight is reflected in the statements of most civic officers, who have no definite answers to offer when asked why even the most primary of services haven8217;t reached the areas included in the city limits in 1966 and 1975.

In this scenario, one should perhaps be grateful that no one was listening to Vyas 10 years ago.