In an attempt to go back to issues that are intrinsically connected with the common man, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is holding five ‘Pani Parishad’ (water conclave) in Maharashtra’s Pune. Vijay Kumbhar, senior party leader and state convenor, said that the party believes that the issues related to people should dictate politics and that is the main reason for these conclaves.
The first of the conclave was held in Dhayari this week when the public had a face-to-face with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officers and discussed the issues such as water scarcity, mainly in the merged villages of PMC. Housing societies have to rely on water tankers that charge exorbitant rates. The water bill of housing societies often amounts to lakhs of rupees and in most cases, the water is not potable. With the summer making its presence early, water scarcity can become a major problem in the days to come, Kumbhar pointed out.
Kumbhar, while explaining the reason for their conclave, said that as a party they believe politics and issues related to the life and livelihood of people should be raised. “Basic amenities like water, electricity, roads, and education must take precedence in the political dialogue of the people. We as a party believe in this and this is our attempt to start such politics,” he said.
The first conclave saw PMC officers of the ward face the general public and answer their queries. Similar exercises would be held in five other places. The concept of water conclave, Kumbhar pointed out, was a spin-off from the ward sabhas or area sabhas which had been the AAP’s attempt at grass root participatory democracy. The ward sabhas see the people of the locality come together with the officials concerned to discuss and raise problems in the area. In Pune, the Baner Balewadi area sabha movement tried out this sabha with some success.
The AAP’s attempt to raise the problems relating to water is also indicative of its desire to bring back the basic issues in the political dialogue. Kumbhar has declared that the party will be contesting the Municipal Corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. The party, after its success in Gujarat, has now concentrated in Maharashtra also.
