MUMBAI, October 5: There is hope for anyone who has given up on solving a problem troubling the neighbourhood. Knock on the doors of the nearest Humanist Centre. It will take up your cause, of whatever nature and launch a campaign if need be, and set things right.

The idea of the such a centre was floated by Parimal Merchant. Established in April 1991, the centre has grown to have 20 branches spread across the city with 600 active members taking up local issues ranging from starting new locals trains to malaria eradication.

Despite the daunting task of confronting the authorities including the railways, BMC, BEST, BSES, RTO etc, the centres' efforts have bore fruit in solving most of the grievances brought to them. The Wadala centre took up the Antop Hill's long-standing traffic problem. It roped in the local residents and educational institutions.

Said a member Lokendra Seth, ``Initially, we organised peace marches since we did not want to confront the authorities. It failed. So we resorted to a rasta roko where students from 15 to 20 schools in the vicinity participated along with the general public.'' The regional transport office was pressured into taking note of the complaints and promised to take appropriate action within a month. The Goregaon centre persuaded railway authorities to agree to widening of a lane leading to the railway station. Similarly, in Kandivli the demand for special trains was forwarded to the railways. A signature campaign is already underway to support the demand.

Another centre at Santa Cruz has organised a meeting next week between the Bombay Suburban Electric Supply and residents of Santa Cruz following complaints of over-billing by the BSES.

At Vile Parle, the local centre has taken up malaria eradication programme in Nehru Nagar slums with the help of the municipal corporation. Dealing with the authorities is no cakewalk. The Humanist Centre realised that participation in the decision making by aware and dedicated citizens is best solution. The centre decided to contest the civic elections held in February this year. Merchant felt that people should come out and participate in local issue in a bigger way.

``We encouraged common people to contest the elections and managed to field 26 candidates,'' he informed adding that this was a beginning. None of the candidates were elected. Five candidates polled five per cent votes, 17 polled less than three per cent and the rest less than one per cent. But the debacle has not shaken Merchant's resolve.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.