1) Why did the children go to Yasmin Khala’s house?
Answer: The children went to Yasmin Khala’s house to seek information and advice regarding a broken street light caused by their cricket game. Yasmin Khala had retired from the Municipal Corporation and was knowledgeable about such matters.
2) List four ways in which the work of the Municipal Corporation affects the life of a city-dweller.
Answer: Garbage Collection: Ensures cleanliness and hygiene in the city by collecting and disposing of garbage.
Maintenance of Public Infrastructure: Takes care of street lights, roads, and parks, contributing to the safety and aesthetics of the city.
Water Supply: Manages the distribution and maintenance of water supply systems, ensuring access to water for households and public facilities.
Public Health Services: Prevents outbreak of diseases and maintains public health through hospitals and health campaigns, like the malaria awareness mentioned in the chapter.
3) Who is a Municipal Councillor?
Answer: A Municipal Councillor is an elected representative of a ward within the city. They play a key role in decision-making on various city-related issues and represent the interests and demands of the people living in their ward.
4) What did Gangabai do and why?
Answer: Gangabai, upset about the uncollected garbage in her locality, led a group of women to protest in front of the Ward Councillor’s house. She demanded regular garbage collection, pointing out the health risks and poor conditions caused by accumulated waste. Her actions were motivated by the need for a clean and healthy living environment.
5) How does the Municipal Corporation earn the money to do its work?
Answer: The Municipal Corporation raises funds primarily through taxes. Property taxes, water taxes, and taxes on services like hotels and cinemas contribute to its revenue. Property taxes, however, make up only about 25-30% of its income. The Corporation also collects general taxes from a wider population, which includes the rich.
6) i) Which way do you think provides safety to the person disposing of garbage?
Answer: The method depicted in the second photograph represents a safer approach to garbage disposal.
ii) What are the dangers of collecting garbage in the manner shown in the first photograph?
Answer: The first photograph shows a more hazardous method of garbage collection, involving direct handling of waste without protective measures. This exposes individuals, possibly including children and animals, to a range of health risks such as infections, injuries from sharp objects, and diseases spread through unsanitary conditions.
iii) Why do you think that proper ways of disposing of garbage are not available to those who work in municipalities?
Answer: The lack of proper garbage disposal methods in municipalities might stem from several factors:
Budgetary Constraints: Municipalities may have limited financial resources, making it challenging to invest in adequate waste management infrastructure and services.
Awareness and Training: Workers may not be adequately trained or informed about safe and efficient waste disposal methods.
Government Priorities: There may be a lack of prioritization at the governmental level regarding the improvement of waste management systems.
Contractual Work and Safety Neglect: The shift towards hiring private contractors for garbage collection has led to issues like reduced pay and lack of safety measures for workers.
7) Several poor people in the city work as domestic servants as well as work for the Corporation, keeping the city clean. Yet the slums in which they live are quite filthy. This is because these slums seldom have any water and sanitation facilities. The reason often given by the Municipal Corporation is that the land in which the poor have set up their homes does not belong to them and that slum-dwellers do not pay taxes. However people living in middle class neighbourhoods pay very little in taxes compared to the amount of money the corporation spends on them in setting up parks, street lighting facilities, regular garbage collection etc. Also as you read in this chapter, the property taxes collected by the Municipality makes up only 25-30 per cent of its money. Why do you think it is important that the Corporation should spend more money on slum localities? Why is it important that the Municipal Corporation provide the poor in the city with the same facilities that the rich get?
Answer: The Corporation should allocate more funds to slum localities and ensure that the poor in the city have access to the same facilities as the rich for the following reasons:
Equity and Social Justice: Providing equal facilities to all, regardless of economic status, is a matter of fairness and social justice.
Improving Public Health: Slums often lack basic sanitation and water facilities, leading to health risks not only for slum dwellers but for the entire city.
Strengthening Community and City Health: Investing in slum areas can improve overall city health, reduce disease spread, and uplift the quality of life.
Long-term Cost Savings: Better living conditions in slums can reduce long-term healthcare and social costs.
Social Integration and Harmony: Providing equal services can foster a more integrated, cohesive society.