Mysuru: One of the longstanding demands of civic activists across Karnataka is the effective implementation of Area Sabhas in every ward of city corporations, in line with the spirit of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. The objective is to strengthen grassroots democracy by ensuring transparency, accountability and direct public participation in civic administration. However, the response from citizens in Mysuru has been far from encouraging.Monthly Area Sabha meetings organised by activists and stakeholders have witnessed minimal attendance, raising concerns about public apathy towards neighbourhood governance. The activists feared that if people continued to show this apathy, the very purpose of the amendment got defeated.
Malavika Gubbivani, an activist spearheading the initiative under the banner of Ward Samili Balaga, said participation was disappointing in several wards. “In Gokulam Ward 6, we see about 10-15 participants. Vijayanagara Ward 20 records around 7-8 attendees. In wards like Ramakrishnanagara (58), Kuvempunagar (57), Dattagalli (46), Jayalakshmipuram (19), Mahadeshwara Layout (3), and Sharadadevi Nagar (45), the response was even poorer,” she said.To create awareness, the group has conducted 42 street plays highlighting the importance of citizen participation in Area Sabhas. “Despite our efforts, people are not attending. Officials from the Mysuru City Corporation and other departments do turn up to listen to grievances. The real challenge is motivating residents to participate,” Gubbivani added.She noted that several civic issues were resolved through these meetings, demonstrating their effectiveness. “Even after seeing results, public interest remains low,” she observed.The situation was similar in the upmarket Yadavagiri ward. Bhamy V Shenoy, who is part of the monthly Area Sabha meetings there, said participation numbers were not encouraging. “If citizens do not show interest, the very purpose of the 74th Constitutional Amendment will fail,” he warned.Activists said the Area Sabha concept is designed to address local problems efficiently, but sustained public engagement remains the key challenge.
