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March 16, 2003
Review: The intermediary cities
MEGACITIES owe their development to intermediary cities. Because of their small size and the face-to-face social interaction of their people, intermediary cities supply the resources and inputs to help the national urban system to sustain an accelerated pace of development. On this premise, the Swiss National Science Foundation launched its international action research project on environment, in three cities of the developing world.
Mingora, the administrative and historical centre of Swat valley, was one of the cities selected for research and Mingora: The Unplanned City is the outcome of that project. The authors, Zeenat Hisam and Alain Viaro, who were associated with the research project have marshalled the information and data generated skillfully and in a readable style in this book.
Mingora fulfils most of the criteria of an intermediary city. It provides economic as well as administrative services to the whole district. On account of its historical and economic importance, Mingora has to face enormous environmental and administrative problems spawned by mismanagement, absence of an elected local government and uncontrolled urban expansion. The book describes the efforts of the EPS to overcome the pressing civic issues as well as the social and environmental aspects of life in Mingora.
The main objective of the research as stated was to initiate and stimulate a process of improvement of the urban and environmental management with the participation of all social actors; encourage south-south exchanges between researchers and students; and on the basis of the research develop sustainable development indicators. The book sheds light on the results of the collaboration of the different stakeholders — government officials, business sectors, educationists and social workers — who were brought together in the seminars on environmental issues and agreements between the EPS and the Mingora Municipal Committee, the World Bank and other organizations.
However, the other objectives of the research have not been achieved. The scientific instruments for pollution measure have not been used due to lack of financial resources. The socio-economic survey has provided a useful insight into the problems of the city but no scheme has been devised to ensure the continuation of such studies.
But if the research has made an impact, it has been on the attitude of the people. It has helped the Municipal Committee devise effective strategies. The collection of solid waste has improved and the heaps of garbage which were a common sight at each corner have mostly disappeared as the Municipal Committee has become more efficient in garbage collection.
The partnership between the EPS, the CBOs and the community has resulted in the development of underground sewerage lines in some neighbourhoods. Some CBOs clean regularly the open drains in their areas.
Scouts and students also participate in the annual cleaning operation. Thanks to the efforts of the EPS, women are now discussing issues of concern to them and expressing their opinions on environmental problems. Thus the EPS has successfully created a linkage between the academia, communities and organizations providing a forum where different stakeholders can consult one another on various socio-economic and environmental issues.
The authors attribute the failure of the programme to the lack of dynamic leadership and innovative ideas. This is an impediment to the implementation of the development scheme. Thus the book not only documents the achievements and failures of the action research. It is also a plea for the improvement of the conditions of intermediary cities like Mingora.
The book, however, suffers from the lack of editing. It is not clear why there is no glossary spelling out the acronyms and abbreviations which abound in the book. Similarly the absence of an index in a book of this nature is simply unpardonable.
Mingora: The Unplanned City — Dynamics of Development and Public Participation
By Zeenat Hisam and Alain Viaro
City Press, 316 Madina City Mall, Abdullah Haroon Road, Karachi-74400 Tel: 021-5650623, 5213916
Email: cp@citypress.cc Website:
www.citypress.cc
ISBN 969-8380-56-6
147pp. Rs245
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