Firhad Hakim, elected mayor of Calcutta in a cakewalk contest on Monday, set the agenda for a new civic regime by sharing a WhatsApp number to which citizens can send pictures to highlight any problem or grievance they might have about various services.
Hakim received 121 votes to BJP rival Meena Devi Purohit’s 5 in the election. All but one of the 122 Trinamul councillors, including former mayor Sovan Chatterjee, voted. The lone absentee was unwell, sources said.
Meena Devi’s five votes matched the number of councillors the BJP has in the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC). The Left Front and the Congress abstained from voting.
Hakim was sworn in around 3.35pm, after which he administered the oath of office to deputy mayor Atin Ghosh and 12 mayoral council members. Baiswanor Chatterjee, councillor of Ward 90, is the new face in the mayoral council team.
The new mayor made two potentially big-bang announcements after taking charge.
Problem? WhatsApp!
“If there is garbage on a road or the (street) lights are not working, take a picture, mention the area and send a WhatsApp message to the number 9830037493,” Hakim, who is also the minister for urban development and municipal affairs, said.
He promised that the civic body would take prompt action on any complaint received on this WhatsApp number.
“Pollution and environment are two areas I would like to work on,” the mayor said, adding that he would work out a strategy over the next few days to achieve his objective.
Two other aspects of civic management that the new mayor aims to focus on are waterlogging in Behala and shortage of potable water in Tollygunge. “I know there are some waterlogging issues in Behala. Some areas in Jadavpur and Tollygunge do not get potable water. I will try and solve these problems,” he said.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had spoken about potable water not reaching some pockets of Jadavpur and Tollygunge during a meeting with Trinamul Congress councillors on November 23. It was at this meeting that Hakim was chosen to succeed Chatterjee, who had resigned from the post in accordance with a directive from Mamata.
Vertical expansion
Hakim said the CMC would ease height restrictions on buildings on condition of large trees being planted or retained on the premises to help improve the environment. “If large trees that promote urban forestry are planted or grown within the compound of an apartment, we will ease the norms on vertical expansion.”
According to architects and engineers, a rule already exists that a building must have the specified open space corresponding to its height category. “There are height categories like 15.5 metres, 20 metres and so on. I think what the mayor meant is that for the same open space, an additional floor will be allowed if large trees are planted,” an architect said.
An engineer in the CMC’s building department said there is currently no provision in the civic rule-book that allows a relaxation in height norms in return for growing large trees on the premises. “But if the Indian Green Building Council certifies a structure as a ‘green building’, height relaxation is offered. Ten per cent additional FAR (floor area ratio) is given to a certified green building. Additional FAR means the building can expand either vertically or horizontally.”
Hakim said tax sops would also be given to promoters of buildings if they plant and maintain large trees on the premises. “If there is a five-cottah plot with a building occupying two cottahs, large trees grown in the open space could fetch a tax sop of 90 per cent on that portion of the total area,” the mayor said.
