Knowledge of civic affairs can aid new MLAs

Main issues: Water shortage, unauthorised construction, crime, traffic congestion, lack of health-care
MLAs: Ravindra Waikar, Shiv Sena (Jogeshwari); Aslam Sheikh, Congress (Malad)
Lack of basic civic infrastructure dog both the Jogeshwari (East) and Malad (West) assembly constituencies. The two newly elected MLAs, Ravindra Waikar (Jogeshwari) and Aslam Sheikh (Malad), should find their experience as BMC corporators a great advantage if they choose to address the problems in the constituencies.
Slums and lack of civic infrastructure are the two main issues in Jogeshwari."The slums in this constituency lack basic sanitation. There is no government hospital nearby and decent education is hard to come by. Water too is a luxury,'' said Javed Shroff, management trustee of the Haidery English School at Bandra Plot, one of the biggest slums in Jogeshwari.
Johny Soares, a resident of Natwar Nagar, pointed out that poverty and unauthorised construction are so rampant that even roads are dug up and the soil carted away to build homes. "Ever since they started using paver blocks this has reduced,'' he said.
Soares said the water problem should be resolved. Water is also a major issue in Malad. Dolphy D'Souza, president of Bombay Catholic Sabha and a resident of Orlem, said it was a problem for the middle class and the poor. Law and order is also an issue. "There have been incidents of chain snatching and burglaries in the area,'' he said. D'Souza also said there is a need for footpaths and traffic congestion needs to be reduced.
There is no government hospital, pointed out Farida Sheikh a resident of Malwani. "One is dependent on private doctors who work in the slum and charge a huge fee,'' she said.