Advanced Locality Management (ALM) term may sound unheard amongst many residential societies in Mumbai but there are few societies who have taken ALMs on a serious note. ALMs are collections of housing societies that take up civic issues in their wards and the new guidelines aim to strengthen the relationship between the civic body and citizens.
It is a partnership between Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and citizens for sustainable environment friendly waste management programme for the neighborhoods buildings. Even shopkeepers can be equal stakeholders in forming an ALM.
The forum was set up with an aim to keep their locality clean and was strongly supported by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for been the first of its kind in the city. Soon after the group formed the Advanced Locality Management and Networking Action Committee (ALMANAC)- a group of 50 ALMs in the area representing more than 5000 families which are part of the federation. ALMANAC also received an award during ‘Swacch Mumbai Abhiyan’ from the mayor for their activities in the area.
From segregation of garbage into dry and wet and composting, for which they were originally set up, the federation has also taken up the civic issues such as illegal encroachments, hawkers issues, problems with sewerage lines, storm water drains and other utility services.
The federation encourages residents to raise issues and problems in their locality and also organizes several actions-oriented meetings with the police, the corporators, the BMC officials, etc., to enable residents to acquaint themselves and interact with the authorities directly. Also the group has been instrumental in raising many topics like raising the height of the Deonar dumping ground, educating the residents about the civic and municipal elections and their roles.